His arm wound tightly around me as he pressed himself right against me, every crook, every crevice pressed against my own. His chest rose and fell with every breath, every breath that I could feel within me. I had been slightly irritated all day, having been unable to fall asleep last night, and then having woken up much too early. Nothing seemed to be going right today, I'd somehow even managed to boil the water for too long for my tea and it had spilled, as had my shampoo as I'd showered. But something about his touch made me forget all about my previous irritation.

His heartbeat frantically, matching my own as he leaned down pressing a soft kiss to the outside of my ear, making me squirm slightly. My mom had always said if a man truly loved you, no matter how long you've been together his heart will go haywire when he's near you. A heart in love is naive, it tries so hard to beat its way out of its rightful place to touch its' beloved.

"How is my love doing?" Xavier questions quietly, trailing kisses leisurely from my jaw to the base of my throat.
"F-fine." I replied attempting but failing to hide my breathlessness, trying to keep steady the paint brush in my hand. Xavier had always been affectionate but these last few weeks nearly had my heart failing. Every time he was near me, I struggled to breath and it was as if he couldn't stay away.

"Just fine?" He asked his tongue flicking out to lick at the tick in my jaw, making me swallow nervously as I tried to suppress the shiver that begged to rake through me.
"Fantastic." I tried making him chuckle softly as his arms tightened around my waist whirling me around so that I faced him, unfortunately though the brush I was holding  landed right on the pristine white collar of his shirt. My eyes widened as I looked at the chocolate brown  coloured paint that was now scattered on his shirt, a dot of it landing on his sharp jaw.

Unthinkingly I licked my thumb reaching up to try to get the paint off, my thumb rubbing at his jaw. He had a very sharp jaw, if I ever needed to slice toast and there wasn't any knife around I could probably just use his face. My fingers wandered over the length of his jaw, analyzing how the slicing would work before I realized what I was doing.

"I'm so sorry." I said hastily grabbing a nearby towel to dab at his shirt, but it only seemed to smear further, but I wasn't going to let the paint win. I rubbed furiously at the paint, slapping at Xavier's hand as he tried to grab for the towel. I placed my hand on his well defined collar bone giving myself more space to work. I finally took off the towel to get a glimpse of my success gasping when I realized it had just spread more.

"Oh my, I'm sorry it wasn't supposed to spread." I mumbled.

My lips formed a subconscious pout as I looked up at him hopelessly, letting out an angry huff when I saw the amusement shining in his silver eyes. I tried to move away from him but his hold on my waist was tight, arms encircling it firmly. I awkwardly folded my arms over my chest in the space I had, turning my face away from him, only looking at him from the corner of my eyes.

My jaw nearly dropped as he unwound one arm from around my waist, undoing the buttons of his shirt leisurely before yanking it off. His smooth tan skin stretched tautly over the large muscles of his broad chest, his shoulders wide, muscles lining up on his stomach to create a six pack worthy of a fitness commercial, or Greek God, whichever suited him best. His arms were large and packed with muscle, in all he was beautiful, a type of masculine beauty that could leave a beholder gaping. I turned my face further away from him, his perfection only angering me, why was he so perfect, it was distracting me from my anger.

A lock of hair fell onto my forehead from my messily done bun placed at the top of my head and I blew at it angrily.

A warm hand cupped my face gently, turning me to face him, he angled my face upwards leaning down to press his lips to my angry pout. My eyes unwillingly fluttering shut as his lips touched mine. His lips move tenderly against mine as he pulls me closer to him, his hand travelling to the back of my head and tilting it further back so that he could deepen the kiss. His hand lightly travel over my head before landing on my bun, and he unfurls it gently, allowing my unruly chocolate waves to fan around us as he takes away every coherent thought from my mind. He bites my bottom lip ever so softly, pecking my lips before pulling away.

"My silly baby." He mumbles softly against my lips, his lips brushing against mine with every word, making it a little difficult for me to follow.

"I'm sorry about your shirt I really didn't mean to." I say biting into the inside of my cheek peeking up at him from under my lashes.

"You can make it up to me with another kiss." He says huskily his melting silver eyes aglow with mischief. My cheeks heat up, but I comply nonetheless.

I tip toe placing my hands onto his shoulders, my cheeks reddening further as my hands came in contact with his heated silky smooth skin. I try to pull him down so I could reach his lips and he puts up absolutely no resistance, his large build seeming to melt into me as I place my lips onto his. His body moulds around me the way it seems to always do when we are so close, and this time I let my tongue dart out to travel over his lips, the small shudder that takes through him only encouraging me. I bite into his bottom lip gently the way he had mine, tugging it lightly, eliciting a low husky groan from him. I pull away from him, blinking up at him slowly and he smiles, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"My Raine." He mumbles against my skin.

"Okay you got your apology, now help me paint." I say slightly excited, I'd discovered this room while pacing around as I always did when on the phone. Completely unpainted, and since it was reading week, I'd offered to paint it.

I'd asked him what colour he wanted, since it was his house but looking at me tenderly his eyes staring into my own he'd said chocolate brown. Making me wrinkle my nose as I stared at him, a whole room chocolate brown.

"Why chocolate brown?" I'd asked, but being the aloof chipmunk he was he simply responded.

"I have my reasons." His smile was secretive, and despite the fact that I didn't completely agree, it was his house so chocolate brown the room would be.

I handed him a brush, watching him closely as he walked towards the wall, his hand completely steady as he made a smooth run down the wall, no brushstroke left behind, the colour was so smooth. I huffed inwardly, I was secretly hoping he'd need help, he was practically the best at everything he did, and apparently painting walls was just a part of all that, absolutely infuriating.

"So I guess you don't need help." I said to no one in particular, moving away from him, and he turned around frowning at the place in which I'd stood ever so close to him.

I got back to painting, but me being the average human I was didn't have inhumanely stable hands, so sadly I had to paint over stuff numerous times to ensure it looked smooth. Tiring process but also somehow peaceful. I peeked back at Xavier nearly gasping at the weird squiggly mess he was making on the wall, dipping way too much paint, and his hands shaking. I rushed towards him holding his hand in mine, to steady it.

"What happened?" I asked, stumped as to what had changed in the last minute to make him go from Picasso to chipmunk on drugs.

"I guess I can't paint." He said turning towards me, his eyes widening slightly, innocently, nearly too innocently but I paid no heed to it.

"I can teach you." I said, trying to play it cool, he didn't need to how happy I was knowing he needed my help in something.

"Thank you love." He said letting me step in front of him as he wrapped an arm around my waist, and I let him. The proximity would help him see the technique up close. He leaned into me, letting me guide his hand, his warm bare skin a constant heat source in the cold of the empty room.

"Let me grab a roller, I have one upstairs." I say tugging away from him, nearly skipping up the stairs. Finally there was something I was good at, something he would have to call on me for help in. I grabbed the roller from where it sat in the department store bag in the foyer, grabbing two water bottles from the fridge for the both of us. I made my way merrily back to the empty room, my jaw nearly dropping as I see the conniving house cat Xavier painting quickly over the portion I'd done, smoothing it out to perfection. So he did know how to paint, he'd lied.

Perhaps it was the studying I'd been doing for the past week, or the lack of sleep, or the building frustration from failing to paint this room but something snapped within me. I dropped the water bottles, from my arms. Xavier's eyes widening as he whirls around to look at the cause of the noise. But before he could utter out an apology I launched myself at him, not even noticing how I'd accidentally dipped the roller into the tray of paint that lay on a stool while tackling him.

"You lied." I said through clenched teeth, I was basically seeing red.
"Well not exactly." He says and I try to growl but instead a really weird sound rips from my throat, resembling more a startled kittens screech then the angry roar of the wolf I was going for. But the more deranged the more terrifying, it would do.

"Care to explain." I seeth, my flailing hands that held the roller accidentally rolling over his face. My eyes widened in horror as I watched his beautiful structured face get doused in chocolate brown paint. That would take a whole lot of licking to get off. Well water would do too, actually it would work much better.

"Oh my." I mumbled softly.
"I'm so sorry."

"That's it." Xavier growled flipping us over, his hand cupping my head to ensure he didn't hurt me.

"You my little kitten are going to pay for that." He says his silver eyes glinting dangerously, a playful undertone in them and I gulp nervously. I clench my eyes shut tightly as his arm raises, mentally praying to the gods to save me.

I almost sputter out as something slimy and cold gets smeared onto my neck. I open my eyes to see Xavier atop me smirking slightly as he holds a paintbrush, nearly dripping with paint.

"You little chipmunk." I squeak and his eyes widen before amusement settles into them, which vanishes quickly as I let out a loud war cry.

I dip my whole hand into the tray of paint smearing it all over his broad chest. Pushing him off me as he stills for a moment, sliding away. Managing to get back onto my feet, I grab the roller dipping it into the paint, accidentally getting some on my hands as well before running.

"Get back here." He growls playfully and I look back to see him chasing after me, his gigantic hands doused in paint that drips onto the floors as he chases after me. I let out a loud screech at his proximity as I quicken my pace, my giggling not helping me run.

His hand grips onto my hip as he tugs me back, smearing the paint onto my shirt, but saving some for my nose as well.

"Do you have a nose fetish?" I yell laughing.

"I have a you fetish." He whispers leaning down to press his lips to mine in a sweet peck. I smile up at him innocently before giving him another face full of paint with the roller, before pushing him away and bolting out of there, dropping the roller in my haste. I run into another room absolutely breathless, as I throw myself behind the couch trying not to get any paint on it.

I try to calm my breath as I sit crouched behind the large black couch, leaning upwards to see over it. His husky deep laugh echoes around the house as he runs around trying to find me. My eyes widen as I see his broad back dart into the room in front of the one I was in. Throwing myself down onto the ground as he whirls around. My heartbeat speeding up as I hear every step, but they seem to slow as they get closer. I slam my hand onto my face, trying to quiet my breathing. The door swings open further and I lower myself again, waiting for a few moments behind the couch silently, trying not to let out any noise whatsoever.

I peek up over the couch after a few moments have passed preparing myself to see my silver eyed mountain covered in chocolate paint, but instead I see absolutely nothing. No sounds are heard either, this was always a part of every hide and seek game, the wait for the prey to come out. But it was also why I lost every time I couldn't contain myself. I get up slowly, cautiously making my way towards the door. I step out my heart beating increasing ten fold taking a look around, but the house looks completely  serene.

A loud scream escapes my lips as large warm arms wrap around me tugging me into a firm broad chest.

"Caught you." A deep husky voice mumbles softly into my ear. A small giggle escapes me as he nuzzles his nose into the side of my neck, pressing soft kisses there as he holds me in his arms, my feet not touching the floor.

"Put me down Xavier." I say squirming.

"Nope mine." He grumbles out primally.

"Xavier." I whine.

"My prize, I found you, now I get to keep you." He says gruffly carrying me into the room, fantastic he'd gone all caveman.

He placed me gently onto the leather couch, laying down atop me, he'd somehow managed to wipe off most of the paint from his face, but the bit on his chest was now all over my shirt, it was pretty much ruined now. I wiped the paint off my nose with my sleeve grumbling to myself.

"What are you mumbling about?" He asks snuggling his face into my chest, his arms wound tightly around my waist.

"About how I should've thrown my overgrown house cat away a long time ago." I grumble, huffing. He buries his face further into my chest.

"You're sort of stuck with me love." He says, and a squeak escapes me as he bites the skin of my side gently atop my Henley.

"You little." I mumble but he only lazily lifts his head to look at me, his plump lips tilting up into a small smirk, making the dimple I adored pop out. He purposely leans up gently biting the skin exposed at the top of my chest.

"That's it. You are going back to the pound." I yell grabbing his ear and he looks up at me with the saddest, largest silver eyes I've ever seen making my heart melt. Chocolate brown paint was still smudged at the corners of his face, bronzing his lightly tanned skin, quite a bit in the front locks of his hair. He quite literally looked like an adorable cat who'd gotten itself into a whole lot of trouble. He was too cute to give away, not like I ever would have, even though the cat now bit, it was my oversized cat, my Xavier.

A/N--------------------------------------------------
Hello my lovelies. I know this one was a long wait especially since I promised I'd try to stop disappearing for ages, I've just been going through major writer's block. Both my books have like ten drafts for the most recent chapters and for Meum Miraculum I'm still lost. I've started writing the next chapter, yes this one isn't as plot based as most people would have liked it to be but this was important for other reasons. I hope you liked it. Have a nice night my lovelies.