Craving his touch

Laura.

Her mouth parted slightly in shock before she quickly spun on her heel.

"I'm so sorry!" she stammered, practically sprinting out of the kitchen.

Kamsi groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Jesus, I don die."

Xavier let out a deep, amused chuckle. "Relax. My mom's cool."

Kamsi glared at him. "Cool? Cool?! Do you even hear yourself?"

Xavier grinned, completely unfazed. "You're overreacting."

Kamsi's glare sharpened. "Aren't you lucky to be so chill about this?"

Meanwhile, in the living room, Felicia was about to head to the kitchen when Laura reappeared, looking slightly flushed.

"Did you forget the glasses?" Felicia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Laura hesitated. "Oh… I changed my mind. I need to take meds tonight." She quickly hooked her arm through Felicia's, steering her back toward the conversation.

Not long after, it was time to leave.

"Thanks again for today. It was truly lovely," Laura said, her voice just a tad too light.

Felicia returned the smile. "Thank you, too, for coming."

As they hugged, Laura whispered, "Your daughter is adorable."

Felicia frowned slightly. "Uh… thanks?"

Falling out of the embrace, Felicia turned to Xavier. "And thank you for helping with the dishes, Xavier."

"Anytime," he said smoothly.

"And please, if you can, help Kamsi with her studies."

"Oh, I definitely will," he assured, his smirk returning.

As they walked out, Ruby practically bolted toward their apartment shaking her head.

Xavier lingered for a moment. His eyes found Kamsi's one last time.

"Good night, pug," he mouthed.

Kamsi narrowed her eyes playfully. "Good night, Xavi," she mouthed back.

The door closed.

But the tension?

It lingered.

Kamsi leaned over the balcony railing, her eyes scanning Xavier's side of the house. A flicker of disappointment tugged at her when she didn't see him. Just as she was about to retreat into her room, his deep, teasing voice drifted toward her.

"Miss me already?"

Her breath hitched, heat rising to her face. There he was, leaning casually against the opposite railing with that infuriating smirk.

"Maybe," she replied coyly, fighting a smile.

Xavier tilted his head, amusement gleaming in his eyes. The tension crackled between them, thick but charged with something unspoken.

"You coming over or just planning to stare all night?" she asked boldly, surprising even herself.

He raised a brow, clearly intrigued. "What's in it for me?"

Kamsi rolled her eyes, exasperated yet amused. "What do you want?"

Xavier's lips curved mischievously. "Far from what you're thinking."

Before she could retort, he vaulted over the rail with feline grace, landing effortlessly on her balcony. Kamsi stumbled back, her heart racing at the sheer audacity of it all.

"You could've killed yourself," she muttered breathlessly.

He didn't reply. Instead, his hands found her waist, steadying her. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine. Their eyes met, the air between them thick with intensity.

"I want you," Xavier said lowly, his voice rough and deliberate.

Her breath caught, heart pounding as he leaned in. When his lips met hers, it was electric—hot, demanding, and utterly consuming. The kiss deepened, fierce and unapologetic, tongues colliding as if testing boundaries they both knew they wanted to cross.

Kamsi clung to him, fingers threading through his hair, tugging as desire ignited between them. Xavier's hands roamed confidently, tracing the curve of her spine before slipping lower to squeeze her ass through her clothes. A gasp escaped her lips, swallowed immediately by another searing kiss.

He guided her backward, never breaking contact, until they stumbled through the balcony door and into her room. Kamsi barely registered the shift in setting—only the heat of his mouth trailing down her jaw and grazing her neck, leaving a trail of fire.

"Xavier," she whispered breathlessly, overwhelmed by sensation.

"Shh," he murmured against her skin, his hands now slipping under her top, skimming over her ribs before finding her breasts. He cupped them, teasing gently as she arched into him, needing more.

They reached the chair by the window, and Xavier pulled her onto his lap. Kamsi straddled him instinctively, wrapping her legs around his waist, her body pressing flush against his. He groaned, the sound raw and filled with want.

Her lips found his again, urgent and greedy, as if kissing him was the only way to breathe. His grip tightened on her hips, guiding her movements as they lost themselves in each other, desire burning through every touch and caress.

Nothing else mattered—not the world outside, not the whispers of doubt—just the intoxicating pull between them.

Meanwhile at the Marshall's residence.

The front door clicked open, and Alexander glanced up from his book, eyebrows raised as his father strode in with a noticeable spring in his step. Mr. Marshall, dressed in a sharp navy blazer over a crisp white shirt, looked like a man with purpose.

"Hey, son!" Mr. Marshall called warmly, shrugging off the blazer and tossing it over the back of the couch.

"Hey, Dad," Alexander replied, closing the book over his thumb to keep his place. "You're looking good. Where are you headed?"

A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Mr. Marshall's mouth. "I have a date."

The casual admission hit Alexander harder than he expected. His thumb slipped from the book, pages fluttering shut. "A date?" he repeated, disbelief creeping into his voice.

"Yep," Mr. Marshall confirmed, brushing invisible lint from his shirt. "Why do you look like I just said I'm joining a boy band?"

Alexander forced a chuckle, but it came out hollow. "No reason. Just... didn't see that coming."

The truth was, he had spent countless nights imagining his parents reconciling, hoping against hope that they could find their way back to each other. Hearing his dad casually talk about dating felt like a punch to the gut.

"You okay, son?" Mr. Marshall's brow furrowed with concern.

Alexander shifted on the couch, pretending to adjust his seat. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Mr. Marshall sat down beside him, the leather couch groaning under his weight. "Been following your advice, you know—putting myself out there. Had a few dates recently, but none worth writing home about. This one feels different, though."

Alexander snorted softly. "And I'm just hearing about this now?"

Mr. Marshall's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Maybe because you've been too busy running around with your friends and chasing after a certain someone?"

Alexander's grip tightened on the book. He knew exactly what his dad was hinting at—his longing to see his mom return.

"You told me to move on, Dad," Alexander said quietly, gaze fixed on the floor. "Guess I just didn't expect you to take your own advice."

A shadow crossed Mr. Marshall's face. "It's not easy, son. Letting go never is. But we can't stay stuck in the past forever. Trust me—you can't heal if you keep holding on to what was."

Alexander swallowed hard. His father's words rang true, but they didn't make the ache in his chest any easier to bear.

Before the silence could stretch too long, Mr. Marshall cleared his throat. "By the way," he said with a teasing grin, "Charles mentioned you brought a girl to our guesthouse in Virginia."

Alexander groaned, rolling his eyes. "Dad, it's nothing."

Mr. Marshall leaned back, folding his arms. "Oh, I *desperately* want to know more."

A reluctant laugh bubbled up from Alexander's chest, breaking through the tension. "You have a date, remember? Don't keep the lady waiting."

"You're right," Mr. Marshall said, rising to his feet with a mock sigh. "You know, for a guy without a girlfriend, you sure act like you have all the wisdom."

Alexander smirked. "Bye, Dad."

"Bye, son," Mr. Marshall said warmly, pausing briefly at the door. His expression softened, pride flickering in his eyes. Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Alexander sat motionless for a moment, the faint scent of his father's cologne lingering in the air. The weight on his chest hadn't lifted completely, but maybe—just maybe—there was room for hope after all.