STORY EXCERPT

For as long as she could remember, Lexi and her siblings would get together on the first Saturday of every month. It was a tradition that they all enjoyed. This month, it was Lexi’s turn to host the group that would be descending on the beach house within the hour.

Even though the case was closed, Xander had spent the morning at the precinct, explaining that he wanted to ensure that all evidence and documents were logged and packed up for delivery to the District Attorney. With the arraignment scheduled for Monday, he wanted to make sure that Lexi’s brother had everything he needed before facing the judge.

It was late afternoon before he showed up on her doorstep, once again dripping in sweat after his daily run.

“Everyone will be here in an hour,” she explained as she watched him head toward the shower. “When you’re dressed, I could use a little help getting setup.”

Xander quickly gave her a kiss. “I’m sorry I took so long. There was more to sort through than I realized,” he lied.

Lexi made no excuse for standing in the doorway of her bedroom to watch him disrobe before taking a shower. “I have to finish making the salad,” she said absentmindedly as her eyes focused on his abs.

Xander couldn’t fight the smile that spread across his face as he watched her reflection through the mirror. “You like what you see?”

Lexi’s eyes immediately jumped to meet his as she blushed. “I do,” she admitted before turning to walk back to the kitchen where she hoped she could focus on her remaining list of tasks.

Twenty minutes later, the leathery scent of his cologne wafted across the kitchen island, causing her to inhale deeply as she sprinkled pomegranate seeds over the mixed greens.

“Xander, could you carry that tub of ice out to the deck for me, and fill it with beer?” she asked as she placed the bowl in the refrigerator.

He hadn’t moved.

“Xander.”

She looked out the window to where he was staring. “Xander!”

Startled, he jumped in response to her urgent call. “How can I help?”

Lexi just stared at him as she repeated her request. He was more distracted than she had ever seen him before. Even when he was knee-deep in a case, he was able to leave his work at the office. She watched as he effortlessly carried the enormous washtub filled with ice to the porch. He faced the ocean and slowly placed one beer after another amongst the chunks of ice to chill. When he was finished, he just sat there, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. Lexi wondered what it was that was occupying his thoughts. She hoped that another case hadn’t already surfaced. He’d worked long hours in the aftermath of the school bus accident. She hoped that crime would take a holiday and give him a few days to catch up on some much-needed rest.

“Are you nervous about hanging out with my family?” she asked when she stepped out into the warm sunshine to hand him a bowl of chips.

“No. Not at all,” he replied as he set the untouched bowl on the table at his side. “I’ve met your sister and your brothers. They seem harmless.”

“Then what’s on your mind?” she asked.

Xander looked up at her and forced a smile. “A case,” he lied again. He sighed with relief when the doorbell chimed and the door swung open as Lexi’s sister, Stacey, breezed into the foyer as her two sons ran through the house, past Xander, down the stairs, and across the boardwalk that led over the sand dunes and to the beach.

“We were up in the mountains for the day,” Stacey explained. “They couldn’t wait to get back to the shore and play in the sand.”

Lexi gave her sister a warm hug before accepting the bottle of wine she was offered.

Xander had barely greeted the statuesque brunette when there was a thunderous knock at the door. Roy’s crew poured in the door a moment later, causing the noise level to rise another ten decibels. Lexi introduced the detective to her brother’s wife as the siblings continued to share hugs and handshakes.

Lexi squealed when her little brother arrived with her youngest niece. She quickly snatched the infant from her sister-in-law’s arms to smother the bald baby in kisses. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xander watching her with wide eyes and a big smile.

“I had no idea you loved children so much,” he whispered in her ear as she bounced the little girl on her hip.

Lexi smiled up at him. “What’s not to love.” She beamed. “I finally got a niece to spoil when I go shopping,” she gushed as she gave the gurgling baby another kiss to her chubby pink cheeks.

Xander reached over the little girl to shake Danny’s hand before Lexi introduced him to the new mother, Taylor. Lexi gave her a brave smile. She looked exhausted, overwhelmed, and thankful that her sister-in-law had taken baby Trinity off her hands.

It was impossible to ignore how much Xander’s expression changed when her father stepped in the door. She wondered if it was because Lyle was not only her father, but also because he was the chief of police that caused Xander to become so serious.

ADULT EXCERPT

Warm and safe. That was how Lexi felt in the arms of her lover and she was reluctant to leave the affectionate comfort of his strong and protective arms.

In less than a month, Lexi had gone from a woman whose friends were certain she was bound to become a spinster, to a woman who had been awoken by the smart, sweet, sometimes quirky, but very sexy detective who now spent every night in her bed. Every night that she wasn’t in his bed, that was.

You’ve got to read over those meeting notes, she admonished herself as she listened to Xander snore quietly at her side. She slowly sat up and reached for her robe as Xander’s alarm sounded.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he muttered sleepily as he reached out to quiet the incessant beeping before leaning over to hold the woman who occupied his dreams and many of his waking thoughts.

“I have the monthly meeting of the community police board,” she insisted.

“Why, dear god, do they insist on scheduling their meetings so early in the morning?”

Lexi leaned down and kissed his shoulder before quietly explaining, “Because everyone on the board has a business to run or a job to go to after we take care of community business.”

“Explain to me again why you volunteer for this board,” he asked sleepily. “Shouldn’t the police be responsible for law enforcement?”

Lexi ran her fingers through his hair. “Police resources for education and crime prevention are limited and you know it. The community police board does good work and I’m proud to be a part of it for many reasons. First, it’s the right thing to do. Second, I’m a property owner. Petty theft, vandalism, graffiti, and other mischief decreases property values and no land lord wants that.” She disregarded the ticking clock to lean forward and run her fingers through the hair on his chest as she smiled a sly smile. “Third, as an owner of vacation rental properties, it’s in my best interest to keep this community free of crime that’s going to impact tourists.”

She shivered as Xander reached his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a warm kiss to her lips.

“I appreciate the order of your priorities,” he said softly before planting another kiss that slowly trailed across her cheek as his lips nuzzled against her sun-kissed skin.

“You’re going to make me late, detective.” Lexi sighed as she savored the sensation of his warm mouth moving against her neck while feigning an attempt to escape his gentle grasp.

“I’ll let you go if that’s what you want,” he said as he relaxed his grasp.

Lexi was torn. The ache that Xander had stirred between her legs was overpowering her civic duty. “I’ll be late if I don’t leave in thirty minutes,” she said in an attempt to convince herself that there wasn’t time for a luscious early morning romp.

“I believe I’ve made effective use of thirty minutes in the past,” Xander said as he pulled her close and swiftly rolled her back into bed.

“I need to shower,” she argued.

“Nonsense. You look beautiful,” he reasoned as he stared into her piercing eyes and ran his fingers through her hair. “And you smell very much like a woman to me,” he said in a voice that had grown husky.

Lexi knew that his comment had nothing to do with floral perfume or the enchanting meadowy scent of a bath wash.

“I can’t be late, Xander. I’m reporting on our in-school initiatives and I’m first on the agenda.”

“It isn’t your school initiatives that have me hard and wanting you at this moment.” Lexi fought back a moan as Xander turned her body to lay flat out with her stomach pressed against the wrinkled white sheets. With her face against the warmth where Xander had just lay, she managed to say in a muffled voice, “I really can’t be...late.” Her thoughts felt distracted and discombobulated as Xander firmly shifted her knee up and across the mattress. Xander’s long, muscular body weighed heavily on top of her, leaving her completely at his mercy. After years of being unable to trust a man, to Lexi this moment was the most intoxicating sensation she had allowed herself to feel in more years than she could remember.

As Xander gently pressed his cock between her legs, she heard him utter a long moan as he filled her pussy. A moment later, the sound of their mutual ecstasy permeated the air.

Lexi wasn’t sure if she had ever felt such decadence. With Xander’s bare chest pressed against her back, her hips brushed against the mattress with each thrust he delivered, producing intense pleasure. With each press, she felt his warm breath in her ear, gradually drawing her closer and closer to the edge.

Panting, moans, and whimpers invaded the silence of the bedroom until Lexi suddenly reached out and clutched the iron bars of the headboard.

“Xander!”

His name had so easy trailed over her tongue and through her shuddering lips. Her fingers turned white in a tight grip as Xander groaned loudly as he thrust jaggedly against her. His final lunges released another round of spasms to course through her body.

As Xander pulled back her hair and kissed her neck, she noticed her entire body relax. Her eyelids fluttered as she felt Xander’s hand slowly move across her shoulder and down her arm to where he gently pried her fingers from the headboard.

“This grip is a little how your pussy felt around my cock just a moment ago,” he whispered in her ear.

Lexi could only respond with an exhausted whimper.