Xander's POV:

I had her laying back against the cushions within a matter of seconds, fulfilling her request with haste that probably showed my desperation.

Not that I cared too much about that after the emotional and personal words I'd just spoken to her.

After she'd just reassured that part of me that was throwing a huge fit, pleasing me beyond words.

I crawled over her, continuing to kiss her in a restless abandon.

Like I hadn't touched her in months.

I kept one hand interlocked in hers, holding it down just to the side of her head.

Ensuring that the scent of the boy that touched her got covered and replaced with mine.

She couldn't purr, but the small, relishing hum that came from her throat resonated similarly in my mind.

Coaxing me more in more into being the one to push for more in this moment, and feeling her reciprocate with nothing but encouragement for each action I started.

Pulling me closer by my hair, by my clothes, my bicep, anything that she could reach with her free hand.

Definitely not how I expected this night to conclude.

My chest bloomed in that relieving warmth, keeping the words she said to me close.

'I know that, Xander. Why all of the sudden are you pretending like I don't know you?'

Right... Nico, Doe, they knew me.

They knew about my past, they knew about my issues, and yet they stayed.

They wanted to be here with me, offering help as much as they could.

Knowing that, I don't know why I still get caught up in these stupid little spirals but blamed it on Layla's treatment of me for now until I can delve any further.

I didn't want to think about anything else right now other than the girl below me.

Kissing her like this. Being the one to start it and the one who guided its direction.

It was addicting.

And she fell into it, following my lead like it was nothing.

I finally released her hand after she tugged on it, feeling her fingers gently trace down my jaw yet again.

It sent a shiver down my spine, enlivening my instinct again to enjoy what it'd been craving.

And urging me for an answer that I hadn't yet received from her.

"Why did you stop kissing me?" I asked, just to lock lips with her again the second I was done.

I needed her now as badly as I needed air, scooping up the curve of her back to draw her closer.

The way she answered between kisses, speaking the words practically right into my mouth. Some even came out a bit muffled against me.

"I wanted you-... to do it-... I realized I-... had been the only one starting them-... And wanted to see-... how long it would take-... until you took the initiative."

Oh?!

I blinked in surprise for a few seconds, finally parting our kiss.

She eyed me expectantly while we both caught our breaths.

That's why she just suddenly stopped?

Her firm gaze quickly shifted into something close to embarrassment, looking a bit to her right.

"I guess I could have just... asked you, but I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just in my head."

Her words surprised me more than they should have.

I didn't realize that even she was having her own little mental doubts about this.

About us.

Probably even more so due to my sudden absence and the lingering scent of her sadness.

I still couldn't believe myself for not stopping through my struggles to consider her feelings in all of this.

Subconsciously, I don't think I ever expected her to react as excited about me beginning a kiss as she'd shown me so far tonight.

If anything, it had her melting into my touch and guidance quicker than before.

I could feel her honed attention on me, awaiting my next move with every touch or flick of my tongue.

Something about letting me take the lead, and keeping her on her toes for what I was going to do next excited her, I could feel it.

And I fed off of that oddly well.

I spoke my response despite the fact she most likely knew what it was going to be.

"I didn't want to get too ahead of myself," I admitted quietly, shamefully after how tonight had gone.

I was worried so much about crossing a line she was practically trying to pull me over.

"I know... Now," She consoled in a gentle whisper, treading her fingers through my hair and down my cheek as if I was made of glass, "I just don't want you to sell yourself short on how much I enjoy these moments with you. Because it's you."

Those last words twisted something in me that I couldn't immediately explain, but I felt the pressure behind my eyes warning me of another upcoming round of relieved tears.

Another elated thrum in my chest, heightening the purr that I now couldn't get to calm down.

Her eyes crinkled, head tilting just a bit, and gave me a wide smile mixed with a short giggle.

Woah...

"You can't get too ahead of yourself with me, Alex. Not when I want to go just as far to see what awaits us."

The way she spoke, like every word was an extra stitch used to rebuild myself. Except with her, I felt stronger... better than before.

These two talks I've had tonight made me realize that I wanted to become the kind of person that might one day deserve her.

She grinned at the way I just stared at her in utter disbelief, leaning in close to kiss my cheek.

Fuck... I didn't think it was even possible to love someone this much.

Every time I think that I've reached the top, she does something to prove me wrong.

She stayed that close to my face, her lips only being a quick head turn away.

I was seconds away from making that head turn, but a knock on the door caused me to hesitate.

One that I only tuned in to hear the end of, the quiet sound of it blending in with the wind and, well, Doe, automatically making me focus on it to distinguish what it was.

It was late, and I wasn't expecting anyone.

"Who the hell is at the door?" I asked out loud.

Doe shrugged, the subtle pressure in her fingertips telling me that she wanted me to get on with it and kiss her again.

But then her eyes went wide in realization.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, now pushing against my chest.

I backed off just a little bit, and she hurriedly wriggled her way from under me, bounding over to the door that lead back inside.

"Lily said she was gonna send me some dessert since she noticed that I'd been bummed lately," She explained before stepping in.

Bummed... right.

I pushed myself up and leisurely followed behind her.

Probably best that we come inside anyway.

She reached the door as soon as I'd closed the one to the balcony, opening it up with an excited bounce in her step that greatly clashed with what I saw from her before.

I felt myself freeze as soon as she opened the door at the scent that wafted in.

She only opened it enough to fit her body through, meaning that I couldn't see yet who was standing on the other side.

But the scent was familiar enough that I didn't need to.

"Oh... hello again," she began.

"Hello to you too," The familiar voice took on flirtatious coo that I definitely did not agree with, "I've got a second meal for one?"

I made my way to the door, noting Doe's lack of a reaction to his tone.

"Yup. Me again," Her voice took on a flatness to it, "Are you gonna hand it over this time or insist on coming in again?"

My mind clicked with the answers to the questions I hadn't yet got to.

This guy comes by for a delivery, and just lets himself into our room? And where the hell does grabbing her hand come into play with all of this?

It helped me channel something both Nico and I had gotten from our mother.

Something that he used a lot more than I did, but I was more than capable of when needed.

Our dad appropriately called it the death glare.

"Well since you're still alone, I was thinking-"

His words gradually died after I stepped behind her and grabbed the door right above her head, opening it until I was visible.

As I thought, it was the last one in line that day I interrogated all of them.

The insistent and cocky one that got on my nerves.

The one whos proven innocence was incredibly disappointing.

Doe still didn't look to pay any mind to what was obviously an attempt to hit on her.

I realized some of it just had to do with naivety, which is exactly why I put a stop to it.

The confident and self-assured disposition I've always seen him with cracked under the look I was giving him, but not as much as I would have hoped.

It did shut him up though, which was a wise choice on his part.

He looked almost... disappointed. Borderline annoyed even.

Like I'd ruined his plan, and that alone nearly sent a growl raising into my throat and threatening to be heard.

But his body language was that of surrender. One most wise people tend to take in front of a royal.

Especially one that's just deemed you a potential threat.

There was a tension building around him and me that I could almost see, a sign deep in my brain telling me that he was up to something that I wouldn't agree with.

"I'll go ahead and take that," I said, reaching around Doe to take the tray from him.

He took a small step back at my advancement, but handed it over without any further problems, keeping his eyes to the side, and his lips pressed tightly together.

Using my other hand to tug the back of her shirt, she stepped to the side and allowed me to shut the door without another word.

The curt sigh I let out was silent, turning to see a wide eyes Doe that showed me that all she cared about after that interaction was what I was currently holding.

"Well!? What is it?!"

Her giddy and innocent excitement shifted me away from my short-lived annoyance rather quickly.

From the smell of it, I could already guess, but back stepped the few feet it took before I could set it on my desk.

I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head the moment I took the dome off.

Ah, Lily. You've outdone yourself yet again.

A plump lava cake sat steeming in the center, strawberries and raspberries decorated around the edge, and powdered sugar flowing with the chocolate ganache.

Not to mention the large scoop of vanilla ice cream, and the literal gravy boat of that same ganache also on the plate.

"Holy shit," Doe uttered under her breath.

I laughed quietly at her very appropriate response.

A loud gurgle of my stomach turned that laugh into a silent and awkward straightening of my posture.

Right... my stomach was kind of... empty.

She looked away from the paradise of a dessert Lily had made her to give me a look.

Her quiet giggle ensued, closing in the distance.

She reached her hand under the rim of the plate.

"She did give us two spoons," she disclosed, lifting her hand with them both sticking out from her fingers.

The plate did look nice, but I still think she looked far more delectable.

I suppose one was going to have to get enjoyed before the other one did.

I plucked a silver spoon from her, letting her get the first bit

It was delicious, than much I couldn't even try to deny. Surely something that would perk her up after a bad day.

I'll have to thank Lily later for looking out for her while I was out being stupid.

The dessert didn't last more than 10 minutes, but it did undoubtedly leave a mess.

With as much runny chocolate as there was it would be nearly impossible not to.

"I think that was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth," Doe praised from her sunken position in my desk chair.

I chuckled, just hearing how full she was from the drawl in her voice.

"Definitely a close second for me when it comes to desserts," I responded, pushing my hair back while rubbing my neck.

I noticed some residual chocolate on my pinky once I was done, deciding to just lick it off.

"A close second? What's number one then-"

She stopped, eyes going somehow wider than when she first spotted the lava cake at the sight of me wiggling my brows with a cheeky grin.

"You don't mean...," She whispered, closing her legs tightly together.

Ah. She got it.

"Oh, I absolutely do." I purred.

She didn't want me to hold back? Then fine.

"Xander!" Her scold came impeccably quick, turning the chair so that the back was facing me.

I caught sight of the blush across her face before she could hide it from me.

I kept my snicker at a respectful volume, knowing that with her, a retaliation was going to come eventually.

Once she could compose herself again.

The scent of her arousal hadn't exactly diminished since it made me bolt last time.

The chair began to turn again, and she stood as soon as it faced me, stomping her way over to me with a determined look.

It took a lot to hide my intense excitement.

Her look faltered though to one of confusion and amusement, eyes narrow and planted just below my chin.

"How the hell did you get chocolate on your neck?" She asked, the prior emotions showing in her voice as well.

"I did?" I questioned, craning my neck as if it was possible for me to somehow see it for myself.

She just rolled her eyes, keeping the entertained smile.

"Yeah. Hold still."

I listened, though not voluntarily.

Instead, I tensed after she grabbed my collar, rose onto her toes to help her with the strange angle, and licked the chocolate from my skin.

My breath too caught in my throat, finding myself too stunned to even move and hold her there.

Not that I had to. With the positioning, her entire body was right up against me.

Oh, that... yeah that certainly did something to me that I was not expecting.

She pulled away with a look that conveyed something similar like she hadn't meant to make that as sensual as it was.

I truly believe she went into that just expecting to get some extra chocolate and didn't realize exactly what she was doing until it was already over.

She cleared her throat.

"Well, I um-" She paused again, glancing down, "Did that just make you hard?"

Well, someone's been reading more books and learning new vocabulary.

"Doe, it's not exactly difficult to make me hard," I lightheartedly replied.

Now that I'd done it once before, it was like I was constantly ready for it and all I needed was a 'go ahead' from her.

Or in this case, a slip-up of self-control when she goes and does stuff like that without me being prepared for it.

"It'll go away after a bit," I shrugged, noticing how she was still pressed very close against me.

"Go away?" She looked confused, "Do you not want to maybe um..."

The realization of what she was getting at stunned me all over again.

"Right now?" I certainly wasn't opposed to it, but the reason I just didn't suggest it in the first place was, "Immediately after we just ate all of that cake?"

I let her have most of it, and even I knew that she was completely stuffed.

I mean... if she was down for it...

I'd be gentle.

She considered my words, looking almost bummed at the realization that I was right.

"Dammit." she sighed, lowering herself from her tippy-toes and taking a short step back.

Her brows knitted together in thought, meanwhile, I was oddly appreciating the confidence boost her disappointment to that was giving me.

"Well, I've been horny all day, and you've been missing for most of it so" The powerful and confident tone she started with slowly diminished into a near squeak with her next words, " So how about... in an hour?"

I found it incredibly fascinating how she switched between the two so quickly when it came to this topic in particular.

It's like she started off so strong until she started getting flustered and just completely fell apart.

Adorable.

"Sounds good to me," I replied, much to her satisfaction.

Well, with the knowledge of what was coming, getting this hard-on to go away for a bit was going to be an interesting test of willpower.

I suppose after making her wait an entire day for this, as well as just disappearing on her in general, I deserved to suffer just a little.