Claiming Xana (Wildcat Graduates Book 2) Read online

  “Wait, Noel. I don’t have any shoes on.” I try to free my hand from his, but he won’t release my hand. Noel stops and turns around to look at me. He glances down at my feet and then back to my face. He releases my hand, only to bend down and pick me up over his shoulder and carry me outside and to his car.

  I hit him on his back as I yell at him, “Noel, what are you doing? You can’t just pick me up and take off with me!” I can feel him open the car door as I hit him on the back again. Looking down at the ground, I notice Noel’s nice, firm jean-clad butt. And what a nice butt it is. I almost forget what is going on when Noel slides me over his shoulder to where I am chest to chest with him.

  “I’m carrying you to the car since you don’t have any shoes on. And now, I’m going to put you into the car so you don’t have to get your socks dirty.” Noel reaches down with one arm and places it behind my knees, scooping me up into his arms to place me in the front seat. “Buckle up, Sweetness,” he says as he leans in to kiss my forehead, before closing my door. He walks around the front of the Mustang as I sit in my seat with my mouth wide open. He just carried me to his car. OVER HIS SHOULDER! What was that all about? Why am I even still sitting here?

  I start to open my car door when Noel slides into the driver’s seat. “Don’t leave, Xan.” He reaches over and turns my face toward him. “We’re just going to talk. Your mom knows I am taking you out. Said dinner wouldn’t be ready until six thirty. We have time, so just go with me, okay?” Noel leans over the console and kisses me briefly on the lips before looking me in the eyes. “Please?” he asks as he continues to look me in the eyes. I look at him for a moment and release the breath I was holding.

  “Okay.” Noel smiles at me and rubs his nose along mine.

  “Buckle up, Sweetness.” Noel lightly kisses my lips again, and turns to start the car. I buckle my seatbelt, and glance over at Noel. He backs out of the driveway and turns to look at me and winks before looking back at the road.

  “Where are we going, Noel? Why couldn’t we talk tomorrow?” I ask as we turn toward town.

  “Because I want to get things straight between us. I didn’t get that chance after school like I had planned.” Noel glances at me and smiles apologetically.

  “Oh.” I look out my window and notice that Noel is taking us toward the ball fields. That’s a surprise. “The ball fields?”

  “Yeah. I didn’t want any distractions this time, and I don’t want you to try and leave.” Noel reaches over and grabs my hand and gently squeezes it. “I need you to hear me out, Xan.”

  Searching his eyes, I reply, “Okay. I’ll listen.” Noel smiles at me and reaches up to run his thumb over my lips.

  “Xana, I like you. A lot. I’ve liked you for a long time. I want to date you. Not just as friends going to a dance, but as your boyfriend. I want that a lot.” I inhale at his confession, my thoughts all going faster than I can figure them out.

  “Noel, I…” Noel cuts me off before I can continue.

  “I’m sorry about what happened after school with Mercedes. I don’t know why she wanted me to take her home. There were plenty of people left that could have taken her home. I wasn’t going to take her home, but when you said you didn’t mind, I felt like I had to. Then I saw how she acted and how much it bothered you, but it was too late.” Noel cups my face and looks at me, very seriously.

  “Noel,” I start when he interrupts me again.

  “No. I saw how upset you were, and it made me so mad that you were upset. I don’t ever want you to be upset or hurt. I can’t stand it,” Noel tells me as he cups my face with both of his hands. “I want you to be my girlfriend. Just mine. Yes, we’re great friends, but I want more than that, and I think we can handle that.” Noel places his forehead against mine and places a soft,slow kiss on my lips. “So what do you say, Xana Bradford? Will you be my girlfriend?”

  Noel looks at my eyes for a moment and leans forward to kiss me, this time more thoroughly. My hands reach for his chest before sliding up and around his neck to run through his short, blond hair. Releasing any tension I have, I press my lips against his with every emotion I have spilling forth, as my fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer to me. His hand moves from my cheek to cup the back of my head, as the other wraps around my waist forcing my body as close to his as it can get with the console in between us. Our kiss is deep, passionate, like our souls are entwining. It’s too soon when Noel pulls away, causing a small whimper to break free from me. He smirks as he looks me in the eye. “So what do you say, Xan? Will you be mine?”

  “I really like you, Noel. You could have any girl you wanted, and it worries me that you could change your mind and we’d lose our friendship. I don’t think I could handle that. I’m not like Mercedes. I’m just plain old me. But, I really like you, too.”

  “I’m not looking for someone like Mercedes. I want you because you are just you. You’re funny and smart, and beautiful.” I can feel my face blushing as he talks. “You may not believe me, but you are. I want you, not anyone else, to be my girlfriend.” Noel strokes his thumb across my cheek.

  “I want that, too,” I say as I lean the rest of the way forward and take his lips with mine. In return, he takes over and draws my bottom lip into his mouth, and I find one of my hands cupping his face. His kisses move from my mouth to my neck, just under my ear. Oh my coconuts, I could die right now and be happy. There is no other feeling like this. Noel likes me. Just me. How did this happen?

  Pulling away from me, Noel says, “I’d better get you home before you’re late for dinner. I can’t have your mom mad at me now. I’ll need her approval for our dates in the future, because I plan on there being a lot of them.” Noel kisses my forehead and brushes my brownish auburn hair behind my ear. He turns around to start up the Mustang and backs out of the parking space before he reaches for my hand. Lacing our fingers together, he uses our joined hands to shift gears as he drives me back home. Noel glances at me occasionally before saying, “Are we good, now? We’re going forward together, right?”

  “Yeah,” I say as I look him in the eye. “We’re good. Together.” I squeeze his hand and smile at him, and he smiles back before looking back at the road. “Did you really have to kidnap me and carry me to the car?” I ask as I let out a little giggle.

  “You left me no choice. You were shutting down on me, and I couldn’t get you to listen. I know you Xana. We may have just met this year, but I know you already. I can tell when you’re bothered by something, and I can definitely tell when you’re hurt and shutting people out. I had to do something like this to get your attention. Am I right?” Noel asks as he turns down my street.

  “Yeah, I guess you really do know me. How do you do that?” I ask him seriously. Noel grins quickly at me before he answers.

  “I watch you Xana. I see you.” Noel raises our joined hands and places tiny little kisses over my finger tips. WOW. What can I say to that?

  Noel calls my name, snapping me out of my memories. “Sorry. I was just remembering the talk we had when you asked me to be your girlfriend for the first time. It made me very happy.” I can’t help but smile as I think about those memories.

  “You made me happier by saying yes.” Noel takes another deep breath and releases it before continuing, “Do you think you would want to be my girlfriend again? For keeps, this time,” Noel asks, then gives me nothing but silence as he waits for my answer.

  Do I miss him? Yes. Do I want him as my boyfriend again? Can I trust him? Yes, I know I can. Do I still love him, too? Well, I think I just might

  “I... I’d like to try. I think I’d like that a lot,” I tell him quietly, a smile permanently on my face. I can hear the same emotion in his voice when Noel ends our call.

  “Goodnight, girlfriend.”

  And, of course, he hangs up before I can speak.

  My family didn’t have to be told Xana and I were back together. Mom and Grandma knew as soon as they entered the hospital room that day. Even though
they were very concerned with how she was doing, I could see how happy it made them. I don’t think they ever stopped smiling, even when they got home. Even Dad, who is usually very reserved, was a little more cheerful than normal when I got home, probably because Mom gave him a full report of what she saw.

  Jeff’s little appearance only solidified my intentions toward Xana. With all of that, there was no way it wasn’t clear that she didn’t belong with him, but me. I’m not a fighting person, but hearing what he said to her and seeing how he treated her, made me want to beat him to within an inch of his life. It took everything I had to stop when I did, and even then I almost couldn’t. I don’t care who they are, no one will ever treat her like that again as long as I’m still breathing.

  I’ve been by to see her everyday and I even got her to go shopping with Cade, Michelle, and me in Shreveport. It did wonders for her to relax and simply have fun. She and Michelle got along really well, and I’m positive that had a lot to do with Michelle’s light-hearted but sassy attitude.

  Tonight is Christmas Eve, and even though we’ve been busy with relatives and last minute Christmas details, we’ve made a point to take the time and see each other tonight. The weather is clear and the temperature is actually fairly mild. I plan on taking her to ‘our place’ after we leave my house. Grams and Mom have insisted I bring her by for a little bit after we get home from her dad’s parents’ house in Marshall, which is fortunately only thirty minutes away. Personally, I think they’re up to something. Neither of them have been this insistent she come over before. Who knows what’s going on with those two.

  I haven’t met her paternal grandparents more than a few times, and I was surprised Xana wanted me to come with them. They’re a lot older, her dad being the youngest of four children, and don’t go out a lot, or stay up very late these days. Xana says they prefer to have a big meal on Christmas Eve with everyone and a smaller get together on Christmas. They figure kids and grandkids would be too tired on Christmas morning to want to go anywhere right away. She said that sometimes her aunts and uncles would spend the night there and they would do something different.

  And this is where we are now, sitting in her grandparents’ living room watching Christmas Vacation with two of her uncles, dad, and grandpa. Xana has already made me watch this movie five times, and she laughs hard every single time. I’ll never get tired of hearing her laugh like that. It always makes me smile.

  “Dinner's almost ready, so you wash up, boys,” her grandma, Sandra, calls out from the kitchen doorway.

  “But this just got to the good point,” Xana whines while her dad and grandpa laugh quietly. It’s obvious they’re used to her doing this when she simply shakes her head and walks back into the kitchen and leaves Xana watching the movie. Her dad and grandpa leave to wash up like they’re told, but she just sits beside me on the couch, laughing at Clark losing his mind in front of everyone. It really is the best part.

  “Don’t we need to wash up, too,” I ask, but am shushed then ignored. Shaking my head, I laugh and she then jabs me in the stomach to be quiet again.

  Mr. Bradford comes back into the living room by the time the movie is over, and turns the television off.

  “You and that movie,” he says, shaking his head. “We should have watched that after dinner. Let’s eat before your mom and granny come and get us” He waves toward the dining room before walking that way.

  Standing up, I pull her with me and tug her to my chest, placing a kiss on her jaw. “Let’s get in there before your granny gets mad. She’s kinda scary,” I tease as I lead her to join the others.

  “Shut up! Granny isn’t scary, she’s adorable. It’s Grandpa you should worry about. He may seem all calm and quiet, but if he ever gets mad, he’s like a tornado that comes out of nowhere. You’d better run fast,” she whispers, eyes wide and face serious, as we get closer to the dining room. I want to laugh, but her facial expression makes me even more nervous. Surely he can’t be that bad. He looks so laid back.

  “There you are, Allie,” Granny says as we reach the table. “I thought we were going to have to unplug the television before you’d join us,” she continues, her hand moving to point at our vacant seats beside her.

  “Don’t you listen to her,” Grandpa says, smiling over at us. “She knows better than to start dinner until your movie is over.” He glances over and grins at his wife. “You’re just like her,” he finishes, chuckling at them both.

  Xana’s smile as she grins at him is beautiful. Her granny shoots him a scowl and mutters, “Only in the good ways. She gets her bad habits from you and her father.”

  This causes everyone to laugh and we sit down to the wonderful meal her family has prepared. There are so many side dishes and desserts spread out everywhere, my eyes aren’t so sure where to start when filling my plate. I thought my mom and Grams cooked a lot of food. These two might have them beat. I’m going to have to pace myself if I’m going to survive the night. I know Mom and Grams expect us to eat at our house, so I’ll need to save room for something. Now I’ll have to run twice as long for the next two days to compensate for my food indulgence.

  We take our places and her grandpa says the blessing at his wife’s signal. We’re all mentioned in the prayer, except for her grandmother when the prayer is ended with, “And God bless me for having to keep up with such a sassy woman. Amen.” I think I was the only one who didn’t seem surprised by it. Apparently, the two of them banter back and forth like that on a daily basis. They’re both so funny.

  The meal is wonderful and the conversation revolves around which remaining family members are coming when and what needs to be done for tomorrow’s meal. It seems that everyone snacks on sausage balls and muffins until dinner time, when the main meal is served. They like to relax in pajamas all day and visit with one another during the day. Xana and her family usually see her Mom’s parents on Christmas Day and stop back through here on their way home that night. From the sound of their plans, I’m lucky we’re seeing each other tonight, because she’ll be too busy tomorrow.

  As we come to the end of our meal, Xana and I help clear the dishes, while Mike and his cousin, Adam, take out the trash and bring in more firewood for the night. It isn’t that cold out right now with it being fairly early, but there is a cold-front moving in, so there isn’t any certainty it will produce any precipitation. It should be perfect for what I’ve have planned for us.

  Just as we finish helping in the kitchen, her grandpa pulls me aside before I can leave the room. He waits until we are alone before speaking, “I’m glad to see you back here, boy.” He looks me intently in the eyes, and I’m not quite sure if I’m expected to respond when he continues. “You were always good to her and even better for her.” He pauses once again, and I keep my gaze locked onto his.

  “She’s good for me, too, Sir, She’s amazing,” I tell him, not quite sure how to explain exactly what she means to me.

  He smiles slightly at me and nods his head slowly in agreement. “I’m happy to hear you say that. What are your intentions with my granddaughter?” he questions me, complete seriousness overtaking his expression. What do I say to that? That I love her and never want to be without her ever again? Is that what he wants to hear?

  Dropping my voice, I give him my answer, and the God’s honest truth. “I can’t live without her,” I’m not going to deny it anymore, regardless of who aks.

  Her grandpa simply squeezes my shoulder and looks at me with conviction. “Don’t let her down again, or we’ll have words.” I see the seriousness on his face and know he means business, so I show him I take this relationship with her as seriously as he does.

  “I’m not letting anything else get in our way again.”

  Grandpa looks me up and down, then says, “Let’s go before that old woman starts yelling my name,” he leads me back into the living room where everyone gathered around the coffee table. Looking around at everyone in the search of my girl, I notice she is the only girl grandchil
d. From what I can now remember, she is the only one on this side of the family. Well, that explains why everyone is so protective of her. How’d I not see that the first time? Really observant, Daniels.

  It’s getting close to seven o’clock when Xana looks at me, my arm draped around her shoulders as we sit on the sofa. “You ready to go?” she asks while smiling at me.

  “Yeah, it’s about that time. I don’t want to make Grams upset by being late. She only made it very clear to be on time, like a hundred different times.”

  We stand and say our goodbyes to everyone. Her granny and aunts tell me to come back soon, and her older cousins, Jack and Jeremy, twins, shake my hand, but as soon as I place my arm around her waist, they cross their arms and glare at me. It seems as is this family is overloaded with testosterone. How did Xana survive growing up among them? Doesn’t really matter because they don’t frighten me one bit.

  We’re more than halfway home when Xana turns the Christmas music down. She wraps her arms around mine closest to her and lays her head on my shoulder. “Sorry about Jack and Jeremy.”

  I look over at her, puzzled as to what she could be referring to. “Huh?”

  “I saw them glaring at you and the way they squeezed your hand,” she sighs. “They’ve always been protective of me. As kids, whenever we all spent vacations and weekends with Granny and Grandpa, they were always warning the neighborhood kids away from me. Even Mike got worse than he normally was when they were around. Half the time I think they thought I was their sister, not Mike’s,” she laughs a little, and I can feel her head shaking.

  “I get it. My cousin Emmaline and I were that way before my aunt and uncle moved to Fort Smith when we were six. She was like the little sister I never had.”

  “That’s so sweet.”

  “Maybe, but your cousins can try to scare me all they like. I’m never letting go of you again. Promise.” She leans up and kisses my cheek, then lays her head back on my shoulder, releasing a quiet sigh.