Xander's Chance

The jogging blonde had his attention. Jessi rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you're after, it's not in my room," he said.

She almost asked how he knew if he didn't know what she sought but stopped herself. He was messing with her again. He couldn't possibly know what she sought. Could he?

"You need more coffee?" she asked instead.

"Yep."

Jessi went to the porch and automatically reached over him with her dominant hand. She caught sight of the marks and swelling and pulled her hand back quickly, but not fast enough. Xander caught her wrist.

She hissed at the pain. He released her.

"Another new one," he said.

Jessi said nothing and reached across with her left arm to take the coffee. She grunted as she hefted it.

"It's full."

"You're avoiding me."

"After yesterday, do you have to wonder why?" she asked in disbelief.

"I let you slap me, didn't I?" he retorted. "Go get a mug."

"Xander …" She sighed. "Fine."

He was going to play games with her until she confronted him. Jessi went to the kitchen and got herself a mug then returned to the porch and sat down in the chair with its back to the blonde on the beach. She poured herself coffee and doctored it up then sat back.

"Happy?" she challenged, meeting his gaze. Her arm was hurting so bad, she was relieved to sit. She was almost nauseous again. "We're going to play a new game. This one is called boundaries. As in, when I say the word boundary, you stop whatever it is you're doing or about to do and leave me alone."

He smiled. Xander's muscular body drew her gaze. He'd tamed his dark hair this morning and tied it back, his unwavering, red-hued eyes on her. She sipped her coffee without looking away. His teeth behind the full lips were normal today, which made her think she'd been wrong about the fangs she saw yesterday. If not for the scars on her neck and those of the woman she escorted out this morning …

"What happened to your arm?" he asked.

"Not your concern."

"If you can't carry my coffee, it is."

"It was obviously no obstacle, considering you've got your coffee and your bed is empty."

"Gerry's the kind who gets his ass kicked by girls, and I know I didn't do that," he said, considering her. "Jealous boyfriend?"

"Jealous of what?" She raised an eyebrow. "Of you biting me?"

"Something tells me your sex life is pretty vanilla."

She flushed. "Boundary."

"Alright."

Surprised he backed down, Jessi would've relaxed, if her body wasn't on edge.

"It wasn't a boyfriend, jealous or otherwise," she answered. "We should start another game called, let's tell my babysitter what I erased from the calendar."