The Taming of Xander Sterne(25)

                ‘I really am sorry,’ Sam mumbled awkwardly as Xander poured some coffee into a mug before handing it to her.

                Today he wore a fitted brown T-shirt and faded blue jeans, his feet bare on the tiled floor.

                The latter no doubt because he couldn’t bend down far enough to put on his own socks and shoes and she hadn’t been around to do it for him.

                How could she have been so stupid as to oversleep on her very first morning here?

                Probably because she had tossed and turned in her bed for most of the night before, unable to sleep because she was so totally aware of that last conversation with Xander. Of the fact that he was lying naked in his own bed just down the hallway!

                How did Sam know he was naked?

                Because while he was in the shower she had searched through the drawers in his dressing table and the wardrobes for pyjamas, in readiness for when he came out of the shower. Pyjamas that simply weren’t there.

                A knowledge that wasn’t in the least conducive to Sam being able to fall asleep once she had climbed into her own bed.

                Consequently, it had been the early hours of the morning before she had managed to drift off to sleep, resulting in her oversleeping this morning.

                Sam was more than a little surprised by how relaxed Daisy seemed to be in Xander’s company; usually her daughter was extremely shy around men. Big men like him especially.

                No doubt yet another result of Malcolm’s complete indifference to his daughter. Malcolm wasn’t as big as Xander, but no doubt he would appear so to a small child. A small child who knew to leave a room if Malcolm came into it.

                And yet Daisy seemed perfectly happy in Xander’s company.

                ‘I have to be at Darius’s apartment by ten-thirty this morning, if you could drive me over there? I’ll shower there before I dress for the wedding.’

                ‘Of course.’ Sam breathed an inward sigh of relief that he seemed to have tired—for the moment!—of teasing her. And that she didn’t have the ordeal of accompanying him to the shower to get through either this morning.

                ‘Although quite how helpful I’m going to be as best man is anyone’s guess,’ he added bitterly.

                ‘I’m sure that, if nothing else, Darius will welcome your moral support today.’ Sam still found Darius a little intimidating, but Andy loved him very much, and surely even a man that arrogantly self-confident must be feeling a little nervous on his wedding day?

                ‘I won’t be back until late this evening,’ Xander continued dismissively, ‘so it’s up to you what you and Daisy do with the rest of your day.’

                Sam gave him a startled look. ‘Er—’

                ‘As long as you’re back here in time this evening to help me shower—’

                ‘Mr Sterne.’

                ‘It shouldn’t be a problem—’

                ‘Xander!’

                ‘Sorry?’ He gave an irritated frown.

                Sam gave an uncomfortable grimace. ‘Daisy and I are invited to the wedding.’

                Well, of course they were, Xander realised.