Chapter 40 : Xavier POV I'm not sure who moves first but in the next moment , her lips are on mine . I've never tasted something so sweet , so intoxicating , so addictive . I want to bottle it up so I can douse myself in it when I'm alone in my bed at night , fantasizing and dreaming about my new stepsister . The kiss starts innocently enough , two pairs of lips caressing , tasting each other , getting used to the other one's plumpness or softness . Her bottom lip is pillowy and begs to be bitten by me . Her top lip has the perfect cupid's bow . It drives me wild , and I need more . More of this kiss , more of her . My left hand drifts upwards to her hip , taking hold and pulling her closer to me . I need to feel her heat against my hardening cock . I need to know that it's not just me who feels this thing between us . My other hand gently clasps around her throat and my thumb nudges below her jaw . She instinctively tilts her head backward , giving me the perfect angle to explore her mouth thoroughly . Swiping my tongue across her bottom lip , requesting entrance , I groan in satisfaction when she readily gives it to me . Can she be any more perfect ? The dance between our tongues is natural and instinctual , as if we've done this hundreds of times . She tastes like coffee and something sweet - vanilla maybe ? - that makes me want more , so much more . She's gripping my t - shirt and grinding against my crotch , seeking her pleasure . I'm more than willing to help her find it with me . When I picked up that call earlier , I immediately wanted to go on the defensive , because let's be honest , that's my new personality setting when it comes to her . But the moment I heard that vulnerable tone in her sultry voice , I knew something was wrong , and I wanted to be the one to fix it for her . I'll eventually get to the bottom of what happened with her injury , but not right now . Not while I have her in my arms , not while she's open to me , and certainly not while she's accepting of me . Her hands move to my back , slipping underneath my t - shirt , making me hum at how soft her hands are . It reminds me of silk sheets against one's naked skin . Heavenly . Divine . I slip my arm further around her lower back and pull her even closer to me . The angle and height of the cabinet has my stiff cock pressing almost directly on her sensitive clit . Her one hand slides between us and lands on the bulge in my jeans and I instinctually grind into her , causing the back of her hand to place extra friction against her pussy . The moan she lets escape is sinful , desire - filled , and wanton . She's fucking stunning like this . And she's all mine . Her pleasure is all mine . And her release will be all mine as well , I tighten my grip on her throat infinitesimally and then murmur to her between kisses , " Come for me , Princess . " It's as if her body was waiting for me to give her the okay to crest that mountaintop of ecstasy . Because not even three undulations of her hips later , she shatters for me . And the sight is abso - fucking - lutely mesmerizing . I lose control of my own body and follow her into the depths of desire , pleasure , and release . My cum shoots out against the fabric of my boxer briefs , the material creating extra stimulation against my oversensitive tip , which in turn causes my orgasm to last longer than ever before . The groan that rips from my throat is animalistic and foreign to me . I've never had such a visceral reaction when I was balls deep inside a woman . My knees buckle and I steady myself on the countertop , not wanting to crush her underneath my weight . My head seeks out the crook of her neck and I inhale her strawberries and honey scent . The seconds tick by with us just existing in this serene and magical bubble , clinging to the other one , not willing to let go just yet . Eventually , and in a silent mutual agreement , we separate so I can finish cleaning her wound , sealing the edges together with some butterfly bandages . Once I'm satisfied , I help her down from the vanity and slowly walk her into her bedroom . I place her on the edge of the bed and hand her the pajamas I see lying off to the side . " You change while I clean up quickly . " Chapter 40 : Xavier POV Her blush , presumably for causing me to come in my pants , is quickly hidden by her mass of melted chocolate - colored hair . She has nothing the be ashamed about , I'm the one that couldn't control myself - not that I wanted fo . Closing the bathroom door behind me to give her some privacy , I take off my jeans , boxers , shoes , and socks before throwing the soiled underwear in the wastebasket that's in the carner . My jeans go back on , but I remove my t - shirt as well . I rummage around in the vanity cabinet for the pain medication that should be there and pour some water into the glass that's sitting upside down on the counter . Calculating that enough time has passed , I slowly open the door to give her enough notice of my intended exit . She's seated on the side of the bed where 1 left her , the only difference being she now has her pajamas on . Still without saying a word , I hand her the two tablets and the glass of water . She automatically swallows it and hands the glass back to me so I can put it on the bedside table . " I walk to the top of the bed and pull back her covers before nodding my head for her to get in . She momentarily cocks her brow at me but decides she is most likely too tired to spar with me about something so trivial . She slides under the duvet , and I walk around to the other side to do the same . " What are you doing ? " she asks suspiciously when I pull her closer so her head can rest on my chest , wrapping my arm around her shoulders . " I've had a few concussions due to football and you need someone with you to keep an eye on you for the next few hours . Technically you're not allowed to sleep yet , but seeing as you are dead on your feet , presumably after a long day of classes and your job , I'll wake you every two hours to make sure your symptoms don't get worse . " Stunned silence fills the air and I almost smile , because a speechless Layla is a new experience for me . " But … " " Sleep Princess , " is my last order to her before leaning over to my bedside table to get my phone . After I've set alarms for every two hours , I place my phone underneath my pillow and look over towards her , ready to give another decree of her needing to sleep . In the couple of minutes that I was occupied , she had settled with her head on my chest and her arm slung over my lower abdomen . Her breathing is steady but deep , letting me know that she's in dreamland already . Leaning down , I place a tender kiss on the top of her head . " Sleep tight , my beautiful Princess , " I whisper just before I switch off my bedside lamp , cloaking the room in darkness . Some of my last thoughts , as 1 , too , drift off to sleep , are of what waits for us tomorrow . I need to know what happened tonight so I can fix it and make sure it doesn't happen again . But I also know what happened between us tonight will not magically fix the animosity between us . But reluctantly , I must admit to myself that I want to fix it . I want to make her life better . I want to protect her . Here's hoping that when she wakes up tomorrow morning , she doesn't suffocate me in my sleep .