Xander's Chance

The woman rolled out of bed, unconcerned with being naked in front of a stranger. Jessi turned away and waited for her to dress. When the rustling behind her stopped, she led the woman out of the apartment and locked the door behind her. Jessi peered through the peephole. As with the girl yesterday, this one stood in the middle of the hallway, lost. Finally, she started in one direction.

What did Xander do to these women? Why was she immune to the effect he clearly had on every other woman he ran across?

Jessi shook her head and went upstairs. The coffee was finished. She poured it into the polished silver pot that reminded her of the fancy pots she'd seen once at an upscale hotel. The tray was too much for her hurt arm, which could support no weight. Frustrated, she took him a mug of steaming coffee. Without waiting for him to acknowledge her, she leaned over him and plopped it down, unconcerned with spilling it, before returning to the kitchen for the pot.

After three trips, he had everything he needed. He wore only judo pants again this morning, his relaxed body reminding her too much of what it felt like to lie beneath him the day before. The washboard abs were flat, even when he was seated. His thick shoulders were wider than the back of the chair he sat in. She realized she was openly ogling him despite being pissed. She turned to leave.

"You couldn't use the tray and make one trip?" he asked.

Jessi didn't want to guess why he sounded pissed by the fact she made three trips instead of one.

"Good morning, Xander," she replied and stalked into the apartment. "I cleaned out your bedroom."

"Ingrid didn't tell you your job is to line up women for me?"

"No."

"I almost had to settle for a rerun."

"Rough life, sleeping with the same girl twice," she said as calmly as she could. "I won't line up women for you, Xander."

"Tuesday's still open." He was entertained. Her temper was shorter, the result of not sleeping and the pain of her arm.

"How …" Temper, Jessi. She wasn't going to let him get to her today, not when she needed to find that necklace. "…thoughtful. I'll make your bed and straighten up."

He said nothing. More importantly, he didn't move. Jessi went to his bedroom and made the bed with speed bred from routine then began feeling around the strange darkness for drawers. He wasn't wearing the necklace, which meant it was somewhere in his room. She went through the nightstands, drawers and closets then ducked out to make sure he was still drinking coffee on the porch.