They were able getting to double date with Wind and Akira. His friends were supposed to be going to some charity event, but Wind had bailed at the last minute, more interested in a night out as a foursome than sitting in some stuffy ballroom wearing a tux. Since they’d had so much fun at the bar the last time they all went out, they had all voted to go back again.Akira and Xyrus returned from their bathroom visit and sat down at the table. Xyrus loved that they were becoming friends. They were very different in many ways, but they were part of his circle. They helped balance him, each of his close-knit group of friends bringing a little something different to the table.“Ahhh!” Lana screamed, throwing her hands into the air when the first few twangs on the guitar filled the bar.“What’s wrong?” Xyrus asked, looking around the crowded room.“I love this song!” she screamed, acting like a teenager at a rock concert, swaying her arms back and forth, her loose hair hanging down her back
Lana felt his warm body next to her and smiled. His heavy leg was draped across hers as he softly breathed in and out, his long eyelashes resting against his face as he slept. She stared at him for a while, admiring his handsomeness. The jaw stubble was already making an appearance on his face, giving him the rough, sexy look that she adored. He had made it a habit not to shave on the weekends, which she thoroughly appreciated. Living with him had taken a little getting used to, but now she could never imagine her life any other way. When Xyrus had asked her to move in, she had been hesitant at first. She was worried they were rushing into things. It seemed like it was too soon, but then after thinking about it and talking it over with Tina, she realized there was no hard and fast rule about when it was the right time. She felt it and he felt it and that was all that mattered. They’d been living together for a month and every day when she woke up, she got to see him. That was the bes
Awakened by her own gasps, Lana Reign struggled to catch her breath as her manicured finger nails dug into the cotton sheets. The new king size bed was larger than what she was used to, but was one of the few splurges she'd afforded herself to kick start her new life. Everything was new, and as her heart rate began to settle, she glanced around the room that still felt foreign. Reaching to the nightstand, she tapped the screen on her smart phone to see it was four o'clock in the morning, four hours before she was to begin her shift at the bakery. Her nerves were already buzzing, the uncomfortable feeling of new beginnings swirling in her belly. Glancing at the brown cardboard boxes that littered her bedroom, Lana was pushing the horrible thoughts that woke her deep into her subconscious. The darkness always seemed to follow, casting a shower over every day, but this time was going to be different. Taguig was the fourth city she had moved to since leaving her
"Come on!" Xyrus clapped the leather steering wheel as he stared up at the red light. He was late for a meeting where he would unveil the new products for the season. A man exiting a glass door caught his attention and he turned to see the small bakery he had never noticed before. Located between his house and his office, he was shocked that he had never noticed the posh café, and with another glance at the stubborn light, decided it could be just the sweet exchange he needed to make up for his tardiness. Tugging the wheel to the right, he pulled into a parking space and hopped out of his black Range Rover SUV."Hi! Welcome to A Slice of Suzeth!! How can I help you?" A sweet girl with red hair called from behind the counter. She was cheery and sweet, flashing a smile that made you feel at ease. Xy had barely noticed her though, because the brunette in the back had stolen his attention. He could tell she was naturally a blonde from her lightened roots, and he wondered wha
The bakery had just shut down, and Lana was removing her apron when Tina approached her. She was responsible for training her and had been the first to make her feel welcome behind the counter at A Slice of Suzeth. "Did I hear right-do you live on BGC area? "she asked. The paranoia set in as Lana wondered where her co-worker had learned her address. Forcing herself to relax, she just nodded her head, plastering a feigned smile on her face."I'm just a few blocks from there. How do you get home?" Tina asked. "Oh, I walk," Lana said, feeling awful. She wished she could offer Tina ride, and after spending the day on her feet she could stand for a ride herself. "That's perfect! So do I. Come on, let's walk together-I'll show you all the cool places," Tina said. It was more of a command than a suggestion, so Lana agreed, grabbing her jean jacket from the coat rack before following Tina out the front door. "This is my favorite season. You know, when the wind started to
The day had gone execption well for Xy. After his meeting, he had closed a few deals on the new product launch, lining up vendors that wanted to sell his latest pet accessories. Over the years, he had learned that there was very little that dog owners wouldn't do for their furry children, and when new lines were designed, he often thought the possibilities were endless. Initially, Xy's company focused on catering to smaller breeds of dogs, since their owners had the tendency to buy more costumes and accessories. What he had learned was that large dog owners also wanted to accessorize their pups, they just didn't know how. The new line for larger breeds was projected to increase sales dramatically, and Xy was excited to see what new opportunities it would lead them to. Sitting at his fine mahogany desk, he typed out the last of the emails, thanking those who attended the meeting. As he said in the email, it was an exciting time and he was grateful to have all of their ea
Today was the day Lana could start listening to the advice provided by Tina on recommendations for places to visit in their neighborhood. On their walk the previous night, she had pointed out her gym, noting that they had a referral program. If Lana mentioned her co-worker's name during sign up, they would each get a discount on their monthly rate.It had been a while since she had worked out, but Lana was excited to get reconnected with a part of herself she had sacrificed for her marriage. Danny never liked her working out, claiming it would only make her more attractive to other men. He liked her weak and docile, but that was never who Lana envisioned herself being. The morning breeze felt great on her skin as she trotted down the steep streets winding through her neighborhood like a maze. Every new route memorized gave her a renewed since of confidence, and another connection to the city she was growing to love. Everyone seemed so nice thr city always eager to help
"That just doesn't seem like a big deal to me," Xyrus reasoned. He was talking through the car stereo system with his cell on speaker phone. A few new investors had called, wanting to get in on his innovative designs and Akira was freaking out. She looked at all problems as bad, but some problems, like having too many people begging to give you money, was something Xy considered a good problem. "They haven't even seen the prototypes," she reminded him. "So, set up the meeting. Just e-mail me all the deets," Xy instructed calmly. "Okay, I guess we can make it work," Akira relented as she always did. "Sounds good. I'm just pulling up to the gym so I'll be offline for a bit," Xy explained before ending the call. He had decided against his home gym in order to have an audience. Sometimes, he felt he needed to know someone was watching in order to keep from quitting, and that was usually the case when it came to lifting weights. His personal trainer was