Page 19 of Changing Rules

He moves his palm north and cups my breast through my tee. “That I know.” He grazes my earlobe with his teeth. “But what about celebrities?”

“Why?”

“I’m curious, that’s all.” He rubs my nipple between his fingers, pulling a moan from me.

“Who doyoulike?” I ask, panting as he continues his assault on my body.

“Easy.” His hot breath on my neck lights a low fire in my abdomen. “Margot Robbie, Taylor Swift.”

The flame extinguishes instantly. I blink, doing my best not to tense up.

“Now it’s your turn.”

With a steadying breath, I come up with a list. I haven’t put a ton of thought into this, I guess, but I rattle off the celebrities who come to mind first. “I like Charlie Hunnam, Zayn, Tom Hardy, Michael B. Jordan, Ian Somerhalder. Oh…and I love Idris Elba.”

When Xander doesn’t immediately respond, I sit up and face him.

He’s looking at me, lips pursed, eyebrows pinched together.

My heart sinks. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

His lips tremble, and a second later, he bursts into laughter and pulls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him.

“Babe, you crack me up,” he confesses. “Those guys are all so fucking different. Hair color, skin color, eye color. You’re full of surprises.”

He brings his mouth to mine, licking along the seam of my lips for entry, which I gladly allow. The movie is forgotten; we’llwatch it some other time. I let my hands wander over his body, needy for his undivided attention.

His comment plays on a loop in my head. I am an overthinker, after all.

I don’t have a type, that’s true.

Unlike him.

CHAPTER 6

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

BELLA

A year and one month ago

July

I stareout the kitchen window, the tightness in my gut making me grip the counter. I should be upstairs, getting ready for dinner with Audrey, but it’s the last thing I want to do.

What the hell is wrong with me? This Bella is far too reminiscent of the woman I was when I was with Jake. Whiny and insecure.

I lick my dry lips and force myself to shuffle down the hall to our bedroom.

“Bella?”

Startled, I stop and whip around, finding Xander on the couch.

“Hey. What are you doing here?” I ask, blinking away the haze I’ve been floating in.

“Really?” He barks out a laugh. His hair is damp, like he’s just gotten out of the shower. “I’ve been home for a while. I called for you a few times. When you didn’t answer, I thought maybe you went out.”

“I was in the kitchen.” Grimacing, I plop down onto the couch beside him. “Sorry.”

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