Page 105 of Breaking the Rules
“I need Kevlar for virtual reality?”
“Dual function,” he explained, sliding the vest over her head. “It gets you used to the weight of a vest, and this one lets you know when you’ve been hit in the training.” He tightened the side straps, sizing the vest down for her.
“Awesome!” She danced in place. “You take the girls on the best dates!”
He gave her a grin, feeling like a different kind of hero. “I tell you what. If you can make it through the scenario without getting tagged, I’ll stop for tacos on the way back.”
“You are so on!”
“It’s not easy,” he warned.
“Have a little faith,” she told him. “There’s nothing I won’t do for tacos.”
“I’ll have faith, and you have fun,” he suggested.
Xavier suited up and turned on the program. “The scenario is a report of shots fired in a shopping center,” he explained. “You ready?”
“Bring it!”
An hour later, on their fourth run-through, Waverly held up her arms in victory. “Yesss! Suck it, bad guys!”
“Said the girl who took two rounds to the head,” he teased.
“That was the first time through. I learn from my mistakes.”
Xavier curled his fingers into the neck of her vest and pulled her to him. The energy of battle still pumped through him, made him hungry for an outlet. “Not all of them,” he reminded her. “And I’m grateful for that.”
She met his mouth eagerly enough that he was cursing himself for pulling back. “It’s late,” he whispered, his lips moving over hers gently.
“And you owe me tacos.”
They made it a mile down the road from Harry’s before Waverly’s wandering hands had him pulling over. “I’m so amped,” she murmured into his mouth when she climbed into his lap.
“It’s the rush,” he explained on a groan. “There’s only one way to get rid of it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
They woke edgy and ready before dawn and found Kate had beaten everyone to the kitchen where the scents of fresh coffee and slightly burnt eggs hung in the air.
“You’re up early,” Waverly said, throwing her arm around Kate’s shoulders. Kate sagged into the embrace.
“I’m really nervous,” she confessed.
“You’ll do great.” Waverly gave her friend a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s not me I’m worried about. My part’s easy. Brad wants what you have. He’s not going to just roll over on this without a fight.”
Xavier stepped in and shifted Waverly out of the way. He put both hands on Kate’s tense shoulders. “Kate.”
She nodded, wide-eyed.
“Everyone is going to do their jobs to the best of their abilities today, including me. Do you know what that means?”
Kate shook her head, still staring up at him like a deer in headlights.
“It means no one gets to Waverly. I swear to you, I won’t let her get hurt.”
Kate threw herself into Xavier’s arms and hugged him hard. Xavier eyed Waverly over Kate’s blonde head, unsure of what to do.
