When Xavier returned to the terrace with their food, in his hands were two tall candles and two bottles of wine. After turning their tabletop into an elaborate dining experience, Xavier and Corinne sat, prayed, and ate between stealing enticing looks at one another. Corinne couldn’t get his proposed trip off her mind, and as she pondered on the possibility, Corinne couldn’t take her eyes off the succulent flex of his mouth as he ate. It tickled and warmed her inside, stirring up a rush of chills, unbridled and thick that poured down her skin and wrapped around her groin. She tightened the squeeze on her thighs to keep the pulsation of her pussy from thumping like a wayward woman, but it was no use; Xavier’s presence wrecked her nerves, and it was with sheer strength that she didn’t jump his bones. Toward the end of their meal, Xavier revisited their conversation before the knock on the door came.

“Would you like some wine?”

Corinne lifted the clothed napkin to the corner of her lips and dabbed.

“I would,” she said. She was wondering if he might ask since the bottles had been sitting on ice next to their table since they began eating.

“Red or white? Wait, don’t tell me.” He studied her a moment longer. “Red,” he concluded.

Corinne’s eyes arched. “And you would know this because?”

“I’ve studied the ancient art of women, and there are two types of wine drinkers.”

Corinne chuckled. “The ancient art of women?”

Xavier nodded. “For example, most red wine drinkers enjoy dinner by candlelight while white wine drinkers prefer the occasional evening sunset.” Xavier rose to his feet, his massive frame covering the table with a midnight shadow. He lifted the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon while popping the cork. “Red wine drinkers love romance novels while white wine drinkers prefer film festivals.” He approached her side of the table and poured the red wine halfway into her glass. Red wine drinkers want to help save the world while white wine drinkers are about family first.”

“I think I’d like to be a red and white wine drinker if that’s the case,” she said. “But I do prefer red over white. You must have graduated from your ancient art of women’s studies,” she teased.

“Nah, I was just kidding about that part and hoping whichever one you preferred I’d paint a picture appealing enough for you to feel unique either way.”

Corinne tossed her head and laughed, and Xavier released his own grizzly chuckle.

“Well played,” she said, still smiling.

Xavier smirked then winked. “You think?”

“Yeah.” She lifted the glass to her mouth and took a sip. “You’re a smooth operator.”

“Only with you.”

“Oh, I can hardly believe that.”

“It’s true, you’ll see.”

Corinne didn’t know how to feel about that response, but without trying, the giddiness on the inside pushed forth to her face, causing heat to balloon in her cheeks. Xavier regained his seat and prompted her.

“So, Ms. Thomas, have you thought about my invitation?”

Corinne twisted her lips and peered at him. “Oh no,” she said. “Ms. Thomas makes me feel old.”

Xavier chuckled then nodded. “You’re right, I should call you Bella anima.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, her voice a bit dreamy.

“Beautiful soul. That’s what you are. It fits perfectly.”

Corinne blushed again. “I think I like that.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded, and her cheeks tightened as her blush strengthened.

“Then it’s official,” he said. “Bella Anima, will you travel across the globe with me on an excursion to explore the motherland?”

Hell yeah, I will. Corinne cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine. Placing the glass back on the table, she brought her sultry stare to him.

“I’d love to.” Xavier’s growing smile pulled his sexy lips back in a delicious spread; it made Corinne lick her lips. “When do we leave?”

Xavier nodded. “That’s my girl,” his thick voice cruised.

On the inside, Corinne was enthusiastically excited, and it took everything in her to keep from jumping like a child. Besides, she was a professional that flew across the world just about every day of the week. Even so, she’d never had the pleasure of visiting Africa, and never in a million years did she think it would’ve been a quest shared with Xavier Valentine. But here she was, with no details and feeling like her younger years, down for whatever, with him.

“How soon can you take time off?”

Corinne relaxed in her seat and swept her hair off her shoulders. “Two weeks.”

“One,” he countered.

Corinne’s brow lifted. “I didn’t say two weeks because that’s the time I want, it’s because that’s the standard timeframe for an approval request from Kinship.”

Xavier studied her face. “I’ll make a call,” he said.

Corinne’s eyes bucked. “Just like that?”

“Unless of course, you’d rather wait.”

“It’s not that. I’m just not used to someone stepping in and taking charge so to speak.”

“If I’ve overstepped my boundaries, I apologize.” He paused. “My excuses are selfish.” His gaze traveled over her skin. “I want to be with you, Bella anima, sooner rather than later, and I can’t explain to you why that desire is so strong right now, but... I’m confident that it will reveal itself in due time. However, I will step out of your way, and let you handle your business, and in two weeks…” He lifted his glass to the air, and Corinne met him halfway in a light cheer, “Africa.”

Corinne most certainly wanted to go in one week. But honestly, she needed to wrap her head around what was happening. They sipped their wine, and Xavier sat his glass down and prompted her with another question.

“Tell me, Bella anima, what has been one of the craziest things you’ve ever done?”

“You first,” she responded. “I want to know about your childhood.”

Xavier smirked. “Unfortunately, I grew up under the spotlight of the media.”

“Unfortunately?”

“Yeah. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful so if I do, excuse me. I say unfortunately because I missed out on experiencing a normal childhood. Because of my parents’ media enterprise, going to school came with a flared popularity. We were young and accepted the attention in the beginning, but we quickly figured out just because some said they were friends didn’t mean they really were.”

“Someone betrayed you.” It was more of an acknowledgment than a question.

“Plenty,” he said. “Especially in college. Some guys would get in trouble and try to use our name to get out of it. Rumors began to circulate. Whispers about my brothers and I being involved in whatever coup our friends were a part of.

“For that reason, we separated ourselves, deciding it was best to stick together. As I told you previously, we were born septuplets, but my youngest brother Trevor didn’t survive.”

“Oh no, I’m so sorry, Xavier.” She reached across the table and covered his brawny hand with hers. Friction slipped through his fingers, but he kept his focus and continued.

“I’d say for the most part I’m good.” He gave her a smile that diminished just as quickly as it took shape. “Only when our birthdays roll around do I imagine what he would’ve looked like and how close we would’ve been. I’d like to blame Hunter for taking up too much space inside the womb, but it’s not a joke I can find myself telling with a whimsical satisfaction.”

Corinne smirked and nodded with understanding. “It would’ve been your way of dealing with it. I’m sure those around you would understand.”

He held an eye on her then produced a small smile. “You’re probably right.”

“Of course, I am,” she teased. His smile stretched, and a flurry of butterflies scattered through her stomach.

“I bet you guys had all of the girls after you,” she said, easily shifting the subject.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you’re gorgeous.”

His gaze dimmed, and it trailed over her lips.

“You think I’m gorgeous, Bella anima?”

Corinne smirked. “I do.”

That pair of words forced an image of Corinne in a wedding gown so painstakingly beautiful it stole the next few words Xavier was going to say.

Corinne saw his struggle and responded, “You can’t be that surprised.”

Xavier blinked. “Um, no… I mean,” he exhaled. “Not usually.” He revisited his train of thought, trying with urgent haste to shake the images of her at the altar. “My brothers and I were in a b-boy band, so the girls kind of came with the territory.”

Corinne’s face was bright. “You were in a b-boy band for real?”

Xavier chuckled. “Yeah. We all play different instruments. I was on the drum set while Hunter occasionally played the sax. Lance was the lead guitarist, and DeAndre’s superpower was with the microphone.”

“He can sing?”

“Better than Maxwell.”

“Very interesting. A band of brothers.”

Surprise registered across Xavier’s face.

“What?” Corinne asked.

“That was our band name.”

“You’re kidding.”

Xavier laughed a hearty guffaw.

“A Band of Brothers.”

Corinne’s mouth hung open, her eyes wide with heat filling her cheeks. Xavier’s million-dollar smile was back, and he reached across the table to drive his fingers down her flushed face.

“Will I ever get to see this in person?” Her excitement boiled over.

“Maybe.” He winked.

“Oh come on now, I’m sure my girl Camilla would love to get some sort of doo-wop from you and Hunter.”

Xavier’s thunderous laugh beat down Corinne’s flesh, making her smile harder with wistful joy.

“I’m being so serious right now.”

“I know,” he said with a grin hanging from his chin. “I’ll speak to my brother and see what he says.”

“What do you think he’ll say?”

“Why the hell did you tell her we were in a b-boy band?” He said, imitating Hunter’s voice.

Corinne couldn’t help but laugh. She fell against her chair and serenaded him with her heavy chortle. “No, he wouldn’t!” she countered. “Hunter’s a sweetheart.”

Xavier’s brows knocked together in a frown. “Hunter is a vile human being. Anyone would be lucky to steer clear of him.”

Corinne shook her head, retaining the smile on her face.

“No, I’m just messing around. He’ll be down.”

Corinne shook her head and pointed at Xavier. “You’ve got a lot of jokes tonight.”

“I just love seeing you smile.”

She blushed. “And I love seeing yours.”

He wiggled his brow. “You’ve told me I was gorgeous, now you’re telling me you love my smile. Jesus, woman, if you keep stroking my ego, I’ll be forced to wrap you up in my arms and kiss you to death.”

His voice stroked her flesh, and Corinne’s cheeks filled with more intense heat. A nervous laugh trickled from her. “You’re silly.”

“Silly serious,” he said.

Corinne lifted her glass and took down the rest of her wine, the liquid courage giving her the strength to move forward.

“Maybe I’ll let you.”

Xavier pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “A kiss can land us in a dangerous place,” he said. “I’m not sure you want to be there.”

Corinne slid her chair back and rose to her feet. She moved away from the table and sauntered the few steps to approach him.

“Try me.”