A Kiss of Color: The Complete 3 Book Collection by Cristina Grenier Page A
Authors: Cristina Grenier
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within her made her moan almost deliriously. His warm, heavy weight bore her to the couch, and, as silence settled around them, Helena couldn’t ever remember being more content.
Long minutes passed before either of them recovered. Then, slowly, Xavier lifted his head to gaze down at her with a lazy grin that brought a soft laugh to her lips.
“Well, don’t look so satisfied with yourself.” He pecked her forehead, each cheek, and then finally, kissed her properly. The gesture long and lingering. When he pulled back to meet her eyes once more, his smile was still firmly in place.
“This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you.” His hand settled under her jaw as a slender thumb stroked over her cheek. Xavier seemed to hesitate for a moment, before his eyes grew soft. “Helena, I love you.”
The young woman stared at him, hardly daring to believe her ears. She was suddenly assaulted by a profusion of emotions, ranging from elation to terror, as she registered the seriousness in his eyes.
He loved her? How the hell had that happened? She’d given him no reason? She’d been nothing but snarky and degrading – had teased and annoyed him. She’d fallen firmly into the place where a friend would linger, but never cross over to be anything more.
And yet, here they were – he still deep within her, and gazing at her in a way that she’d never imagined any man could.
He loved her.
And God help her, she loved him too.
***
Chapter Five: All That Matters
Helena came awake the next morning slowly. She cracked her eyes open to be greeted with an alarm clock that read seven thirty – but most certainly wasn’t her own. It took her a moment to work herself out of the profoundly deep sleep she was in, and to remember all that had happened the previous night.
When the memories started to flood back, her lips curved into a smile. Usually, she would have been up late into the night studying, but last night, Xavier had kept her up for a very different reason.
The man hadn’t been satisfied with having her only one time – oh no. Nor with twice. In fact, she was pretty sure they had explored every surface in Xavier’s household, from his kitchen to his laundry room and back again. By the time they finally made their way to the bed, as he’d promised, she was exhausted, and deliciously sore. Helena had knocked out without a second thought, and surprisingly, she had slept the entire night without stirring. Now, she rose carefully, turning over to look down at the man beside her.
He was absolutely beautiful.
She didn’t think she’d ever seen Xavier with his guard down, so this was a rare vision. He was sprawled over the majority of the bed, and she’d slept cradled in one of his arms. His hair was mussed over the pillow, jaw slack in slumber, the sheets riding low on his hips to expose his magnificent chest. His skin was milky pale – badly in need of a tan but she didn’t dare tell him that. He’d told her once how much he adamantly hated being out in the sun for long periods of time and she wasn’t setting out to try and change that.
Reaching out, she gently trailed her fingertips over his abdomen and up to his chest. There, she could feel the strong rhythm of his heartbeat.
Last night, this man’s parents had all but called her trash. They told her she’d never go anywhere or do anything because she was bound by where she’d come from. And he had defied them, taking her home, sharing his body with her.
Telling her he loved her.
Her smile fading, the young woman retracted her hand.
Though she couldn’t deny that the words gave her a certain measure of elation, they also scared her absolutely breathless.
She had lost everyone she had ever loved. Her mother, who had refused to accept her even after she’d tried for sixteen years. Her father, who had never stopped loving her, but had been taken from her far too soon.
Helena was terrified. She
Long minutes passed before either of them recovered. Then, slowly, Xavier lifted his head to gaze down at her with a lazy grin that brought a soft laugh to her lips.
“Well, don’t look so satisfied with yourself.” He pecked her forehead, each cheek, and then finally, kissed her properly. The gesture long and lingering. When he pulled back to meet her eyes once more, his smile was still firmly in place.
“This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you.” His hand settled under her jaw as a slender thumb stroked over her cheek. Xavier seemed to hesitate for a moment, before his eyes grew soft. “Helena, I love you.”
The young woman stared at him, hardly daring to believe her ears. She was suddenly assaulted by a profusion of emotions, ranging from elation to terror, as she registered the seriousness in his eyes.
He loved her? How the hell had that happened? She’d given him no reason? She’d been nothing but snarky and degrading – had teased and annoyed him. She’d fallen firmly into the place where a friend would linger, but never cross over to be anything more.
And yet, here they were – he still deep within her, and gazing at her in a way that she’d never imagined any man could.
He loved her.
And God help her, she loved him too.
***
Chapter Five: All That Matters
Helena came awake the next morning slowly. She cracked her eyes open to be greeted with an alarm clock that read seven thirty – but most certainly wasn’t her own. It took her a moment to work herself out of the profoundly deep sleep she was in, and to remember all that had happened the previous night.
When the memories started to flood back, her lips curved into a smile. Usually, she would have been up late into the night studying, but last night, Xavier had kept her up for a very different reason.
The man hadn’t been satisfied with having her only one time – oh no. Nor with twice. In fact, she was pretty sure they had explored every surface in Xavier’s household, from his kitchen to his laundry room and back again. By the time they finally made their way to the bed, as he’d promised, she was exhausted, and deliciously sore. Helena had knocked out without a second thought, and surprisingly, she had slept the entire night without stirring. Now, she rose carefully, turning over to look down at the man beside her.
He was absolutely beautiful.
She didn’t think she’d ever seen Xavier with his guard down, so this was a rare vision. He was sprawled over the majority of the bed, and she’d slept cradled in one of his arms. His hair was mussed over the pillow, jaw slack in slumber, the sheets riding low on his hips to expose his magnificent chest. His skin was milky pale – badly in need of a tan but she didn’t dare tell him that. He’d told her once how much he adamantly hated being out in the sun for long periods of time and she wasn’t setting out to try and change that.
Reaching out, she gently trailed her fingertips over his abdomen and up to his chest. There, she could feel the strong rhythm of his heartbeat.
Last night, this man’s parents had all but called her trash. They told her she’d never go anywhere or do anything because she was bound by where she’d come from. And he had defied them, taking her home, sharing his body with her.
Telling her he loved her.
Her smile fading, the young woman retracted her hand.
Though she couldn’t deny that the words gave her a certain measure of elation, they also scared her absolutely breathless.
She had lost everyone she had ever loved. Her mother, who had refused to accept her even after she’d tried for sixteen years. Her father, who had never stopped loving her, but had been taken from her far too soon.
Helena was terrified. She
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