I let out a small laugh when I was alone in the hallway.
She probably saw him go in his door and thought it was mine.
“What a crazy woman,” I muttered to myself as Xavier opened his door.
He looked out into the hallway, clear panic in his eyes, which lessened marginally when he saw me standing there.
“Ryleigh, what are you doing out here?”
“I went to buy Plan B.”
“Oh,” he responded, looking down at the plastic bag in my hand that contained a chocolate bar and the empty box that had held the Plan B. “Did you take it?”
I nodded.
I might be seeing things, but he almost looked disappointed.
“Come back inside,” he said, opening the door wider for me. “And in the future, please don’t leave without telling me first.”
I smiled a little and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his body.
He smelled like his shampoo, some earthy brand that was just delicious on him, and his hair was still damp, along with his beard.
I cupped his cheek, letting my palm feel the softness of the hair there.
“It’s sweet of you to worry, but I’m fine.”
He rolled his eyes and pushed me further inside, spanking my ass as I walked.
“What is up with you and spanking my ass?” I asked, rubbing away the sting and glaring over at him.
“You leave without saying anything, and I’ll bend you over my knees and show you what happens when you make me worry.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Not happening, buddy.”
He walked up to me, his eyes turning seductive. I shivered, wholly seduced. “Wanna bet? You have such a spankable ass, it would be a waste to go even one day without spanking it.”
I didn’t know how to take him seriously when he talked like this. So instead, I laughed, planted a quick kiss on his lips, and walked further inside the apartment, feeling his heated eyes on my back the whole time.
23
RYLEIGH
I carefully carriedthe six grocery bags between my fingers, three in each hand. My fingers were already starting to feel numb as I rode the elevator up.
One of the best parts about living so close to the grocery store was how convenient it was, but it was close enough that I found it to be a waste of time to take my car there.
I had been carrying these bags from the grocery store, crossed the street, and finally, the elevator up to the apartment building.
I was half-tempted to put the bags down, but I didn’t want to take up too much room on the floor in case someone else entered the elevator.
Xavier had been gone since this morning, leaving me to entertain myself with work.
I was on a little break before starting my next project for a new writer. It was a different story, and though I was excited about the project, I wasn’t in a rush to get back to work.
The ding of the elevator, followed by the doors opening, had me coming out of my thoughts and walking out to the hallway.
I was looking down at the patterned, carpeted floor, trying hard not to drop anything and praying the bag wouldn’t rip so close to my door, when a pair of black boots came into my line of sight.