Sweet on You

Chapter 15

Time seemed to breeze past Lydia. Between juggling work at the bakery and the enterprise, days blurred into weeks and weeks into months. Kelly insisted on having her coming in several times a week rather than their original agreement of once a week because business was crazier than ever and Lydia was being whisked away to meeting after meeting, doing nothing but sitting there, pretending to fully understand what was being discussed.

Despite all of this, she was going to the new club Samara's parents had opened. Unfortunately, Audrey would not be there, as she and Nathan opted to have a nice date night at home while Jules slept. Lydia felt a pang of longing. She was twenty-three and single. Meanwhile, her friend, only two years older, was married and had a family. She shook the thought away, she may not be at the same point of her life as Audrey, but she was proud of what she had accomplished this far. Sometimes, she simply wished she had someone to share it with.

Xander followed her into the club, donning his usual v-neck and dark-washed jeans. He scanned the crowd of club-goers, all of which were dancing or drinking, or both. He set his mouth in a thin line. After six months of being her non-stop bodyguard, Lydia had convinced him to take a night off, however, she didn't really perceive it as a night off seeing as he decided to come with her to the club.

Lydia laughed at the expression. "I take it you don't enjoy clubs?"

Xander glanced at her sideways. "They're loud."

Lydia elbowed him playfully. "Well, it's your night off, so let loose, or at least try to have some fun."

Xander shot her a look that said, I doubt it. Lydia shook her head with a smile as she weaved through the crowd and to the bar. She told herself she was going to order one drink. After the great vodka fiasco with Evie and the rest of the girls, she did not feel inclined to get as drunk as she did that night, so, she would order one fruity drink, dance a bit, and call it a night.

Samara was behind the counter and shouted over the music. "What do you want to drink?"

Lydia scanned the menu and settled on a sangria. Samara made it in ample time and shot her a wink when she noticed Xander lingered behind her. Lydia ignored it, sipping her drink.

When she was done, she set it on the counter and turned to expect Xander to be there, but he was nowhere to be found. She scanned the crowd, yet, it was as if he simply disappeared because he was not among any of them. She tried not to feel bothered by the fact he had left. She had said it was his night off, that he should have some fun, even if that fun wouldn't be with her.

Attempting to shrug off the feeling of disappointment, she made her way to the dance floor and began to move to the music. It was crowded and occasionally, she'd bump into someone or someone would bump into her. But after a few minutes, she felt hands at her waist. She flinched at the touch.

"It's just me," Xander said in her ear, his breath hot. He jerked his chin to the left, to a man who was glaring at him. "That guy has been eying you all night."

Lydia leaned back into him, arching her neck up to speak in his ear. With music so loud, she had no choice but to be so close. "So?"

"So," Xander growled, tightening his grip on her. "He looks like he's up to no good. I don't trust him."

Lydia laughed at his statement. "You don't trust anyone."

Xander spun her around, so she could see his face. His hands remained on her waist, but now her hands rested on his chest. "I trust you."

"I trust you too, Xander," Lydia smiled.

Xander grinned and they continued to dance. Although, it was more like Xander kept her in his grasp while she moved to the music. They were so close that despite the music, Lydia could feel Xander's heart pounding just as fast as hers. She rubbed up against him a little too close and she felt his breath hitch. His fingers dug into her waist. "Lydia."

Lydia looked up at him, her eyes wide. She expected him to be upset, by the sound of his voice she thought he was, but when she saw his expression, she was confused. His eyes stared down at her, playfulness swimming in them. "Do you dance like this with all the men you go to clubs with?"

Lydia grinned, pressing up against him even more to see his reaction. "Only the special ones."

Xander's eyes burned into hers, encouraging her to keep moving against him. She continued to do exactly that, moving up and down, his hands still firmly on her waist. She had never been so bold with a guy before but Xander made her feel something she couldn't quite explain.

Xander released a noise she couldn't quite hear because of the music. She looked at him. "Do you dance like this with girls you go to the club with?"

Xander brought his lips to her ear. "Never."

Lydia shivered at the feeling of his lips against her skin. Her core was wet at the feeling of him against her. She pulled away from him, she needed to get some air. Xander was her friend. Her bodyguard. She couldn't have these thoughts or these feelings. Especially when she knew if he felt the same as her, it would likely fade once the year was over and done with.

She reached the doors and stumbled outside. She wasn't drunk, she wasn't even tipsy. Lydia was perfectly sober and she had just basically given Xander a lap dance in the middle of a club. She leaned against the wall of the club and hid her face in her hands. "What the fuck did I just do?"

Moments later, Xander was in front of her, looking just as dishevelled as she felt. He wore a look of concern. "What happened?"

Lydia looked up, embarrassed by her actions. "I'm sorry, Xander."

Xander stepped forward, his jaw set as if he were angry with her. "Do you think I didn't like what just happened there?"

"You were only dancing with me because of that guy," Lydia replied, staring down at the sidewalk. "I shouldn't have-"

Xander cut her off by gripping her wrist, leading her to the car. When they were both inside, he looked at her. "Are you drunk?"

"What? No!" Lydia snapped, she only had one drink and she was starting to find it insulting that everyone thought of her as a lightweight.

Xander took her by the chin, forcing her to look at him. "Neither am I, angel. I haven't had a single thing to drink and I willingly danced with you. I wanted to be with you. And I think you want to be with me too."

Lydia was surprised at his declaration. That he was so honest with his feelings, something she knew he struggled with. "By the time this year is over, Xander, I don't know if you'll still feel the way I do."

Xander clenched his jaw, the vein in his temple popping out. "Kelly gave me the option to walk away last week." He said finally. "It's been six months and not a single threat has been detected. Everyone assumes Kelly is the owner of the company, as far as outsiders are concerned, they think you are simply. Kelly told me I could go, and I chose to stay. Do you really think I'd walk away from you when this year is over?"

"I-I didn't know," Lydia whispered. She thought something was strange when Kelly called Xander for a meeting, but she assumed it was about his paycheck or something to that effect.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes before Xander started the car, driving them home. The whole drive Lydia thought about what he had revealed, that he chose to stay even though he didn't have to. She always expected him, despite agreeing to be her friend, to leave and not look back. She was wrong, so horribly wrong.