Xavier
I watch in amusement as Lia attempts to carry the box of books up the apartment building stairs. She practically pushed me away when I tried to take it from her but she was so persistent about carrying that by herself. And I can never say no to that girl so here I am keeping my eyes locked on her if she falls or drops the box.
Lia may look small and fragile but the girl packs some serious strength. Those slender arms of hers are stronger than mine sometimes. And that's hot.
"Watch your step." I say with mild amusement when she tries to peek around the box to find the concrete step.
"Would you shut up? I'm trying to concentrate." She grumbles and a laugh bubbles out of me.
"On walking?"
Lia stops and twists her body to glare at me, I clamp my mouth shut trying to hold back my laughter. She's so damn cute, I just want to hug her.
We're helping Nolee move into Zack's apartment. He asked her to move in with her when we got back from Hawaii. It came as a surprise to the girls and I heard Lia and Blair shed tears, but they were supportive and happy for their best friend.
I'm ripped out of my thoughts when I see Lia trip and drop the box. In a flash, I'm behind her, grabbing her so she doesn't fall back. She falls into me with a shriek and my lungs empty out from anger and concern.
"Fuck. Are you hurt? I told you to be careful, Lia." I snap at her, not feeling one bit remorseful. My eyes roam around her body, checking for any injuries. I swear if there's one goddamn bruise on her body, I'm raising hell.
"I'm fine." Lia softly mutters, her eyes wide and tender as they lock on mine. I clench my jaw and grab the stupid box from her.
"Walk ahead of me." I grumble, completely fucking annoyed that she almost got hurt. Lia quietly walks ahead of me, her eyes warily watching me and she knows best to not trigger me, especially when it comes to her safety.
"What took you guys so long?" Blair asks as soon as we step through Zack's living room.
"Lia was learning how to walk." I say casually.
Her friends look at me weird.
Lia smacks my arm which makes me burst out laughing. I ask Nolee where she wants her box of books and she says to just leave it in the living room, so I do. For the next couple of hours, we help them clear out space to make room for Nolee's stuff and assemble a bookcase. We take a break in between to eat pizza that Zack orders and I find myself smiling as I watch Lia laugh with her friends.
She's glowing. Her cheeks are an adorable shade of pink. And her hair is in this loose braid that falls down to her waist with some strands framing her face. She's in sweatpants and a hoodie with no makeup on and she looks breathtaking. When looking at her from afar, I always get this rush of love-filled awe that she is mine. That I've kissed her, held her, made love to her. My possessiveness rears its ugly head whenever she's around. Whether she's alone, with her friends, or with some fuckhead, I know that she's mine.
Completely mine.
When Hudson and Zack distract their girls, I get up with a faint smile on my face. Lia is munching on her pizza with her attention on the movie playing on the television. Crouching down beside her, I place my hand on her head, caressing her hair, then lean down to whisper in her ear.
"Friend pact," I smile with a racing heart, "Stop looking so pretty because it makes me want to kiss you."
Lia stares up at me with wide, demure eyes. Her blushing cheeks make me want to kiss them. Fuck, I want to hug her.
"You can't say stuff like that."
I laugh at her adorable protest as I walk into the kitchen to dispose of my soda can. As I'm walking out of the kitchen, my phone rings. Checking the ID, I frown and a little bit of amusement fills me.
"Should I be scared that you willingly called me or what?" I answer as I move into the hallway.
"Piss off," Elijah grits before huffing annoyedly, "What the fuck is a lacey butterfly brief?"
"The fuck man, google search that shit, why the fuck you asking me for?"
"I'm in my damn car outside a lingerie store, I ain't got time."
"Just ask the women inside, they'll help you."
"They're gonna ask who it's for and I ain't telling them it's for a girl I'm stalking." Elijah hisses out the words and I swear I shudder.
This guy is crazy.
And terrifying.
"I'm concerned. For the poor girl you've set your eyes on." The poor girl doesn't know that a psycho is crushing on her. And who the fuck stalks a girl? This idiot is asking for jail time.
"Fuck you. Fuck, I'll ask them," Elijah groans, clearly angry, "What color panties do girls like to wear?"
"I'm blocking you." And calling the cops.
"Want me to give you another black eye, Knight?"
Straight shivers.
I'm not about to mess around with the brother of the girl I'm planning on marrying.
"Shit, I hate you," I snarl with annoyance, "I don't know man, every girl is different. Lia wore pink a lot so..."
My body warms at the memories of her art of a body in hot, sexy, teasing lingerie. She knew it got my dick hard so she teased me with her hot little body in things I just wanted to rip off with my teeth.
Elijah curses at me under his breath.
"I don't wanna know how you know that but if you're trying anything funny with my sister, you better hope I don't run you over."
I scoff with mild amusement. The fucker should know better than to think we haven't had sex.
"What I do with her is none of your business."
"She's my sister."
"She's a woman with her own choices."
That shuts him up.
"Dickhead." He mutters.
Lia's laughter fills the apartment and it's like a melodic lullaby in a meadow.
"Red," I grin, "Every girl has a pair of red ones. I bought Lia some red ones that she wore when we—"
Elijah hangs up on me.
I chuckle and pocket my phone. The moment I step into the living room, I see Lia and Blair glaring at Zack. And it's fucking funny how two girls have the quarterback cornered against the wall.
"I don't know why you're smiling because frankly, you're on my shitlist, Mackenyu." Blair scolds him with her arms crossed and everything. Zack's smile immediately drops.
I mouth what's happening to Hudson but he just shrugs with a stupid grin on his face. Nolee looks like she's enjoying her fiancé being scrutinized by her best friends.
"We're gonna tell you three things and you're gonna listen to them well because you don't wanna get on my bad side, QB." Blair speaks with a dominance that makes the guy twice her size in front of her look like a little boy.
Zack looks at Nolee for help, his eyes nervously blinking.
"One," Blair starts, "If you hurt her in any way, I'll castrate you and feed your balls to wild dogs."
Damn.
"Two," Lia crosses her arms and I lean back on the sofa and spread my legs to watch her in fascination, "You will respect her and her space when she wants it, how she wants it."
I smirk.
That's my girl.
"And three," Blair takes a step closer to Zack who looks terrified, "You will always, always put the toilet seat down."
That makes all laugh. Zack shakes his head as he steps away from the girls but he's smiling. He makes himself cozy next to his fiancé, dropping his head on her shoulder and mumbling something to her. The two of them are beginning a new chapter in their life and I can't help but feel a little jealous.
I want that for Lia and me. I want her to move in with me. To be with me for good. But this friend pact we have is growing on me. We're building our relationship more healthily, more flirtatiously. And it's like a euphoric high knowing that after all the lingering stares, the crippling tension, and the deeper connection, we'll be colliding like two stars—explosive, passionate, everlasting.