90 The truth comes ou (1/2)
Jos slouched down in the black leather seat of the car wishing it would some how open up and swallow her. {A much better alternative than facing him again...} She thought to herself as she glanced back up at the large beach house. She'd slept here more than her own apartment since her and Russ started dating, it seemed. She ringed her hands as she moved her gaze toward the driver. ”Are you sure you can't come in with me?” She sent pleading glances back and forth between Arei and the large home.
Arei chuckled as he gently pushed a loss stand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. ”You know good and well what a horrible idea that would be, kitten.” He smiled warmly down at her as he released her face from his grip and reached for the phone in his cup holder. ”I'll set an alarm. If you're not out in thirty minutes, then I'll come in. Alright?”
She let out a disgruntled huff of air. ”Alright...” She turned her attention toward the door, worry still written across her face and held tight in the tension of her body. She froze one hand on the door when a large hand swept past her face and pulled her head back around.
Arei quickly moved forward first thinking to kiss her on the lips but then changed his mind last minute and landed an awkward kiss to the tip of her nose. He cleared his throat as he pressed another kiss to her now heated forehead. ”Stay safe, if for any reason you need me before the thirty minutes are up don't hesitate to call or yell for me, alright.”
Jos couldn't talk past the hard lump building in her throat. She could feel the heat radiate from her neck and cheeks as she nodded and turned back toward the door, not hesitating this time to pull it open. She smoothed her sweaty palms down her cream maxi as she slowly stepped one coral flip flop inch by inch toward the massive front doors. She rubbed her bare arms and tugged at the front of the low plunging cups of the attached top. She shielded her chest with one arm as she dug the fingers of that hand into her opposite arm nervously. Her fingers trembled as she lifted them closer to the door bell. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed. {He's not a bad guy... just... he was upset... and obviously jealous... for good reason, I suppose...} She tried to rationalize with herself. She quickly jutted out a finger and pressed the bell hard once then took one large step back her eyes still squeezed tight. When several minutes passed and no one answered the door she turned back to the waiting car and shrugged. Just as she was about to take the first step down from the concrete door way, the large doors creaked open and a familiar voice whispered her name.
”Joslyn? You're here? You came back...” Xavier stood gawking in the door way shock and disbelief written across his handsome face. Shaking himself from his momentary loss of composure, he through the door open and stepped outside.
Jos froze mid step, her worried eyes met with Arei's as he slowly sank with the back of the seat out of sight... mostly. {Shit!} She stepped down bringing her feet together and stood there staring down at the bright coral flower pattern running down her dress cluttering in mass closest to her feet where her coral flip flops poked out from below the bellowing fabric as the sea breeze caught in its material.
Xavier closed the distance between them in three large strides and took hold her her hand pulling her around to face him. ”Jos, you're here, you're really here...” He furrowed his brow and released her hand nearly throwing it away and took a half step back. ”I should be upset at seeing you. I'm a logic enough man to know that. I should be demanding you leave and never try contacting me again...” He took a full step forward standing toe to toe with her now as he pushed his slightly tinted glasses onto his head. His turbulent green eyes held hers. He stroked an unsure finger down her cheek brushing a stray hair over her shoulder. ”I shouldn't want to pull you close and hold you right now.” He cupped her cheek, ”I shouldn't want to press my lips to yours and tell you all is forgiven... That I could never stay mad at you...” He lowered his mouth toward hers but pause pressing his head against her forehead instead. ”You shouldn't be here, Joslyn. It's not safe... or a good idea right now...”
He didn't pull away though the conviction in his tone made it awkward to be held by this man. Jos cleared her throat trying to press past the lump that threatened to drown out her words entirely. She pressed a palm against his torso and pushed him away holding eye contact with him as she spoke. ”I... I... only came for my things...” She rushed on as she felt his body become ridge. ”I... I've decided to go home. I'm not needed here anymore...” Her voice broke as she added, ”There is no longer anything keeping me here...” She could feel the tears building in the backs of her eyes as she thought about the upcoming conversation with Russ. She shook her head hard to fight back the tears. ”I only need my things Xavier... that is all.”
His eyes narrowed his eyes, ”If that's the only reason your here...” He grabbed her hand and turned toward the door nearly dragging her behind him. He made quick work of the steps leading up to the second floor where his master suite sat behind the large double doors at the top of the landing ignoring her as she stumbled over more than one set. He pushed the door open in anger and used his painfully tight grip on her wrist to drag her into the room. He glared at her from the door, his body filling the frame almost fully. ”You'll find all your things in here. The guest rooms are being used at the moment.” He arched a cynical brow. ”If it's not too much to ask that you stay here and at least wait to leave til after my meeting...” The anger and pain melted away in his expression as he watched her brush her hands down along her skirts. His heart throbbed when her large aqua eyes met and held his with no trace of fear or worry in them.
Jos nodded, ”I'll stay for a few minutes, but I can't past thirty minutes.”