Chapter 25

After his run, Xavier climbed the stairs and pulled out his earbuds, pausing outside Peyton's bedroom door. He was surprised she was still asleep and hesitated in waking her. She'd seemed exhausted lately and worn around the edges. But his mom was saddling the geldings and waiting for her. Plus, he really wanted to kiss her good morning without an audience.

He knocked, but she didn't respond, so he opened the door and stepped inside the guestroom. The drapes were parted over the balcony doors and early morning sunlight fed in through the glass. Her blonde hair poked out from under a heap of blankets and a purple, grape-printed comforter.

He walked closer and perched on the edge of the mattress by her hip, smiling. Curled on her side, she slept with one hand under her head and the other tucked to her chest. Her features relaxed, she looked like a sleeping angel with her round cheeks, long pale lashes, and hair light as a halo across the pillow. He fingered the quilt lower to expose mo