Page 25 of Xander

---

She stayed there longer, too.

So long in fact that I heard it.

Soft snores.

It took everything in me that I had not to chuckle.

But I managed to beat it back.

Just then, Tempie came over, looked at Nola, and asked, “Is she asleep?”

I listened to the little snores that were coming from Nola and lifted a brow.

Tempie chuckled.

“She worked a double yesterday and today. She’s worn out. I’ll go get Merlin to carry her to the clubhouse and put her in our old room.”

Something about her statement rubbed me the wrong way.

Either it was the room they were going to put her in, or it was the simple fact that another man was going to touch her.

I didn’t know.

But I did know one thing... I didn’t fucking think so.

I put out my cigarette, stood, stepped over to Nola, wrapped the blanket around her, and then, carefully, I scooped her up in my arms.

Something I’ve never done in my life and hoped like fuck I was doing it right.

And I stood there for a moment as I allowed everything to flow through me and then lock somewhere deep inside of me.

Vanilla. Cherry. Chocolate.

Those were the scents that wafted up from her.

And yeah, I didn’t miss how right she felt in my arms.

And the way my heart felt like it expanded when she seemed to nuzzle her face into my shoulder... felt fucking right.

All of it.

I stepped away and caught Tempie’s jaw had dropped.

I lifted a brow at her.

She snapped her mouth shut and then led the way into the clubhouse.

I ignored the eyes that came to me.

I ignored the lifted brows.

I ignored the open mouths.

I ignored all of it.

And I ignored when Tempie stopped at their old room, and I kept right on walking.

Carefully, I opened the door to my room and stepped inside.

---