Snare (Falling Stars #3) (29 page)

"Manhandling," I growl, smacking his arm.

Setting me on my feet, he kisses the top of my head. I look up at him and scrunch my face, irritated by his public display.

He's going to give them the wrong fucking idea.

He grins, grabs a chair at the large table, and motions for me to sit.

"I thought you were in the shower," I mumble, taking the seat.

"I was," he responds, sitting next to me. "I'm a guy. Ass, balls, hair, and we're done."

"Do you have to discuss your Wookie grooming practices before I eat?" I ask, nose wrinkled.

"Coffee?" Em asks, holding a silver pot out, her mouth twitching with humor.

"Yes, thank…"

Xavier reaches over the table, takes it before I can, and sets it down next to me.

"You," I finish.

"You're welcome," he says, grinning.

While I start pouring coffee, he starts putting food on a plate. I'm mid-pour when I realize I'm filling his cup too.

Taking the coffee from my hand, he sets a full plate in front of me.

I stare at the food.

What the hell is happening?

My eyes drift up and catch Em's smile before she glances away.

Silently praying to make it through breakfast without freaking out, I dig into the eggs.

"Oh," Xavier exclaims around a mouthful of food, "your phone was going crazy."

He pulls my cell from his pocket and hands it to me. After wiping my hands, I take it. Two missed calls, one voicemail, three texts, and a ton of emails I need to address. Sighing, I scroll through the texts.

Liza wanting to know if I need a ride to the airport.

"No," Xavier says, way too close.

I turn my head, finding his cheek less than an inch from my mouth.

"Don't back seat text," I scold, looking back to my phone.

"You don't need a ride," he reiterates.

"Calm down, Sasquatch, don't get your balls in a twist. I'll tell her," I tease.

The twins giggle and I respond to Liza, telling her I'll get a taxi.

"You're not taking a taxi either," he decides.

Glancing up from my phone, I raise one brow at him.

"Don't boss me around," I tell him.

He leans back in his chair, throws an arm over the top of mine, twist strands of my hair in his fingers, and tugs.

I bite my lip and he grins.

I so hate him.

Between bites, I respond to my mom, letting her know my arrival time, and delete a text from my lawyer asking me to call her.

Moving on to the voicemail, which is also from my lawyer, I turn to stone.

"What's wrong?" Xavier asks.

I shove my hand over his mouth to shush him.

Holy shit.

I listen to the message one more time to be sure I heard her correctly before I press end.

Xavier strips my hand from his mouth and looks at me expectantly.

The rush of adrenaline my rapidly beating heart sends through my body pushes me into action.

Shoving away from the table, I stumble around Xavier and hurry to my laptop bag. I sit on the floor, open the computer in my lap, and log on.

"She realizes we have chairs, right?" Kami asks with a nice dash of bitch.

I ignore her. Em doesn't.

"What is your problem?"

"Girls," Duncan warns.

"Come on, come on, come on," I chant, wanting my email to update.

My eyes zero in on the secure message email from my lawyer.

The body of the message simply says, "Shred your other offers."

I open the file, enter the password to unencrypt the data, and scan the document.

Half a million dollars.

"Oh my God," I breathe, excitement shaking my hands.

I reread the new offer summary. This time, I catch the asterisk and immediately see the reference to Addendum B. Scanning the document, I find the addendum and skim through.

They want me to stay on board to consult.

I furrow my brow, trying to make sense of the terms.

The heat of his body engulfs my back before he says, "Mom, why is your company dealing with Sid?"

My head snaps up to look at Sherry.

Mimosa in hand, she lifts her chin, smiling wide.

"Like I would let an opportunity like this pass by?" She tisks her son.

It's Sherry's company? Sherry fucking Stone's company is interested in Toy BoXXX?

"So, you're just going to swoop in and take advantage," he growls.

His heat disappears when he stands up and over me.

"She's not," I whisper, still stunned by the terms I read.

"What?" he snaps.

"Don't yell at me," I retort, pushing up from the floor.

Walking over, I stand across the table from her.

"Why would you—?"

"It's good business. I wasn't joking when I said I wouldn't let an opportunity like this pass me by," she clarifies.

"I still think—"

"No one asked," Sherry cuts Kami off.

My eyes shift between the two of them.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Ember cries.

"Cherry Popping Incorporated is going to be the proud partner, slash sponsor, of Toy BoXXX," Sherry announces.

"Wow, I must have missed them in your videos, 'cause you've got some balls on you," I mumble. "I don't think I signed anything yet."

Laughter bursts from Duncan and he slaps the table.

"Xavier, you're a fool if you don't keep her," he says around his laughter.             

"That's the plan," he responds.

I'll store that away to freak out about later.

Stunned silent again, this time by Duncan, I barely miss the crack in Kami's façade. She drops her head, hiding a smile.

"Wait," Em interjects, "are you buying her business or not?"

Sherry sets her glass flute on the table and clears her throat.

"The company is buying Toy BoXXX for half a million dollars," she explains.

"You and Grandpa have that kind of money to buy something?" Em's oldest son, Nate, asks, eyes wide.

"The company has the funds to invest," Duncan informs is grandson. "Our personal accounts are separate."

"I'm gonna have to up my birthday list game," he mumbles.

"Nathanial!" Ember scolds while her handsome husband bites back a smile.

Nate's hands shoot into the air, palms forward. "I'm kidding," he blurts.

"As I was saying," Sherry returns to the topic, "Cherry Popping is purchasing Toy BoXXXTM , but under the condition that Sidra Campbell agrees to ninety-day consultant terms."

"Ninety—"

Sherry puts her hand up, silencing Xavier.

"The ninety days is a legality thing." She flips her hand in the air. "Something about conflicts of interests and risks…blah, blah, blah." She brings her mimosa to her lips and drinks. "After the ninety days, she will assume the role of partner. It will be fifty-fifty termed."

Upon clarifying the summary of terms, she sits back and finishes the rest of her drink.

The room is silent and I can feel multiple eyes on me, but only Sherry has mine captivated.

Placing her glass to the table, she pushes her chair back and stands.

"Would you like to use our printer? Because I can assure you, no other offer like this will come."

"You're okay with this?" Kami quietly asks her father.

Duncan reaches out, takes Sherry by her hip, and pulls her to his side.

"Kami, I value your business sense. If I didn't, you wouldn't be my senior VP of operations."

Her mouth curls, wanting to smile.

"You should know that you get your superb business sense from your mother," he continues.

"I know," she breathes the words.

He nods.

"Good. Then you know I am one hundred and fifty percent on board with your mother's decision. In fact," he turns his attention from Kami to me, "when Sherry first told me about your business, I was intrigued. And when she brought the financial analysis and proposal, I was extremely impressed. You should be proud of the accomplishment."

"Yeah," I grumble, "aside from a poor business partner choice."

With his free hand, he gives a waving motion.

"No one gets it perfect the first, second, or third time around," he assures. "I had many setbacks. The thing to remember is to learn from them."

I nod.

"So, the printer?" Sherry pushes.

"Sure," I agree, smiling, "but this doesn't mean I'm signing anything today."

"We'll see," she sings, pulling from Duncan's embrace and motioning for me to follow.

For two hours, Sherry and I discussed ideas for Toy BoXXX
TM
. Gender specified box options: PinkBoXXX
TM
for women, and ToolBoXXX for men, which sparked my idea for a teen sexual education box—something parents could order with education about sex and birth control, videos, as well as condoms, samples of lubes, so forth. The SexEdBoXV
TM
would be a smaller venture since a lot of parents wouldn't be comfortable with the idea. However, teens would be able to order it themselves, since no porn would be involved.

I still can't believe the turn of events with Toy BoXXX
TM
and how easy it was to brainstorm with Sherry. By the end of our conversation, I'd sent the agreement back to my lawyer with instructions to expedite the process.

"Are you flying to Philadelphia?" Xavier asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I'll just drive," I respond, digging my printed e-ticket from my messenger bag.

"How long's the drive?"

"About five hours," I say, sitting back into the seat.

Rolling my head to the left, I stare at his profile.

He's too busy moving in and out of traffic to notice the attention I'm giving him, so I check him out.

Hair knotted at the crown of his head, plump lips surrounded by his well-groomed beard, and a thick neck leading to a broad inked chest. The tattoos on his right arm emerge from beneath a red short-sleeved t-shirt, creating jagged images over his forearm to the back of his hand to the smiley face on his middle finger.

Dropping my eyes to his thick, muscular thighs, I fight a sigh.

I'm really going to miss those smacking against the back of my legs.

I close my eyes, mentally slapping the shit out of myself.

"I want to thank you for helping with the girls." He looks at me, then back to the road.

"Yeah, sure." I shrug.

"No, seriously. I haven't exactly been an everyday kind of dad," he confesses. "These past months, being the primary parent…" his words fall away on a sigh. "You were there for them today and I don't know how I would've handled it." He shakes his head.

"They love you," I blurt. "And I can see how much you love them. You would've been fine."

"Nah, I don't think I could've maneuvered the period talk without scarring them for the rest of their lives," he jokes.

"Well, it's handled, for now. But…"

"But what?" he asks.

"When it's time for the teen pregnancy talk, you're gonna have to get Liza involved. My vagina has not brought forth any spawn."

"Still not fucking funny," Xavier growls.

"Still is for me," I state, grinning extra wide and toothy.

We arrive at the airport and I climb out of the car. On the curb, I take my luggage out of Xavier's hands and stack things on the roller bag.

"Thanks for the ride," I say.

His brow rises.

"Okay, well…"

Why the fuck is this so goddamn awkward?

My fingers twitch to touch him, arms ache to reach out, and my damn vagina is ready to cry.