Balance (Off Balance 1)

“Yeah,” I call back with a shaky voice. “I’m up.”

Xander bites his lip to hold in his chuckle. I’m glad someone finds this amusing.

“Good,” he says through the door. “Thirty minutes.”

I hold my breath and listen to the sounds of his feet against the floor heading away. I sag in relief and Xander busts out laughing. My arm snaps out and I smack my hand against his stomach, which only makes him roar with more laughter.

“You better grab your clothes and get back to your room before my brother discovers you’re not in there.”

He shrugs. “Let him.”

I throw my hands up. “How can you be so blasé about this? I know my brother has threatened you numerous times about coming anywhere near me.”

He picks his shirt up off the floor and tugs it on. “I’m not going to let your brother keep me from what I want and I want you,” he says huskily, his eyes lingering on my lips.

The way he stares at me makes me feel like a small frightened animal backed into a corner by the big bad wolf.

“We have to ditch him on the way to the airport,” I say suddenly. “We have to find the church we got married in and see if they can undo this.” I wave my hands through the air like I can bibbidi-bobbidi-boo this away.

Where’s my fairy godmother when I need her?

Xander’s jaw clenches and he looks away. I know I’ve made him mad because I’m not willing to accept this is our fate. I’m not going to lie, I’ve dreamed of marrying Xander on more than one occasion. It was all I hoped for as a little girl when he was the dark-haired boy across the street who shared his animal crackers with me and carried me home when I fell off my bike. But I never imagined it would be like this—that I would barely even remember it.

“Whatever you want,” he mumbles, not meeting my gaze.

I stand frozen and watch as he grabs his phone and slips his jeans on over his boxer-briefs. He pauses at the door and I expect him to look back and say something, anything, but he leaves. I can’t say I blame him.

***

I take a quick shower, washing the scent of Xander’s body from mine in case Cade can sniff it out like a bloodhound. I feel sick to my stomach that Xander walked out of my room with things still unresolved between us but I can’t see why he doesn’t see the issue. I’m nineteen. I only have one year at college under my belt and beyond that I have no clue what I want to do with my life. A marriage makes things even more complicated.

I dress comfortably in a pair of black leggings and a loose gray tank top. I twist my long hair back into a sloppy ponytail and swipe some gloss on my lips. I pack my bags hastily and I’m almost done when Cade reappears at my door, knocking loudly.

“I swear

to God, Thea, if you’ve fallen back asleep—”

I groan and run to open the door. “I’m awake and ready. I’ll meet you in the lobby in five minutes.” I purposely position my body so that he can’t see in the room. It’s still a mess with evidence left behind that I don’t need him to see.

“Fine,” he groans. “I’ll be downstairs getting breakfast.”

I watch him retreat and then close the door.

Before I can make it back to my suitcase there’s another knock on the door.

“Cade, I’m going to punch you in the face,” I seethe and swing the door open, ready to maim my big brother. “Oh, thank God. It’s you.” I step aside and let Xander back in the room.

“Do you need help with your bag?” He asks.

“I’m almost done packing.”

I hate the awkward tension hanging in the air between us. It’s never awkward with us, not like this at least, and I hate it. When things get bad I’m used to running to Xander and having him wrap his arms around me and tell me it’s going to be okay, but not this time.

“I’ll wait.” He gives me a slight smile and I know he feels the tension too.

I finish packing and Xander paces around the room, looking to make sure he hasn’t left anything behind in here. There are a few condoms scattered on the floor—let’s just say we were making up for a heck of a lot of lost time last night—and he picks them up to throw them away.

“Shit,” he curses and I look up from the blouse I was packing away.