by K. A. Linde
Then she remembered where she was. Ramsey’s sweet lips were covering her mouth. He was kissing her. She felt her mouth moving against his automatically. He tasted good. Surprisingly he didn’t taste like liquor though. He tasted of peppermints. God, she could keep kissing him all night with how good he tasted. She felt his tongue caress her bottom lip sending a shiver through her body. A low moan escaped her, and he reacted with more enthusiasm. He held her tight against his body, and she could feel the rippling muscles in his chest pressed to her. Her mind was whirling a million miles a minute. Yet, there was something she was missing.
Party. Shots. Dancing. Balcony. Ramsey. Kissing. She couldn’t put her finger on it. There was something else she should remember.
Ramsey pulled back from her mouth to catch his breath. She gulped in two healing breaths in an attempt to clear her foggy head. He smiled at her sweetly and rubbed his thumb back and forth against her jaw line. It was a pleasant sensation, and Lexi’s thought process ceased again. She let him kiss her some more, enjoying the tender emotions he was portraying with every touch. When he pulled back this time, her mind began to clear and she knew what she was forgetting.
Blue eyes.
Bright blue eyes staring at her from the balcony window. She could pick out those eyes anywhere. She shivered unintentionally as the spinning stopped. Everything came to a standstill as the realization hit her inebriated mind. Jack had seen her kissing Ramsey.
Oh God! Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her harder than before, and she thought at any moment she might vomit. The last thing she had wanted was for Jack to see her with Ramsey. She hadn’t even meant to kiss Ramsey! She certainly didn’t like Ramsey.
In fact, he annoyed her. Sure he had been there for her moment of weakness, but that didn’t mean she liked him. And that certainly didn’t mean she wanted Jack to think she was whoring herself out when she was supposed to be visiting him. Not that he had been quite as kind earlier in the evening.
She quickly covered her mouth as the dizziness returned. She would not throw up. How humiliating would that be?
“Are you all right?” Ramsey asked with concern apparent in his voice. He had just seen her near to tears; there was no way she was going to throw up in front of him. Vulnerability wasn’t exactly high on her list of things she liked to show in front of complete strangers. Especially not ones she had just been making out with.
“Fine, thank you,” she said hopping down off of the railing and avoiding his gaze. That was quite enough of the affectionate stuff for her today. She would much rather close herself back off. It seemed to work better. It also usually kept her from making out with random guys while her sorta-non-ex-boyfriend was watching. Ugh. She cringed just thinking about it.
As she turned to walk back into his apartment, she found herself wobbling and weaving. She didn’t remember drinking quite enough to make her feel so out of control, but perhaps that sexy kiss had something to do with that. No, she wasn’t supposed to think about Ramsey’s delicious peppermint kisses. That would just get her drunken ass in trouble. And really how much worse could she make her situation?
Just then, her favorite pair of black alligator skin stilettos caught on a nook in one of the wooden planks and sent her toppling to the ground. Ramsey was instantly at her side. Just before she met disaster, he scooped her up into his arms, and cradled her body in a gesture that strongly resembled a tango dip. Her cheeks were burning from a combination of mortified embarrassment, relief, and the fact that he was holding her in such an intimate position. She sucked in a few calming breaths, her eyes remaining locked into his emerald orbs. They were beautiful with flecks of gold spiraling away from the onyx pupils. And how had she missed that he smelled kind of like peppermints too? Peppermints mixed with something uniquely his own. Whatever it was, it was damn addictive. And maybe that was just her damsel-in-distress intoxicated view of the world, but he really was unbelievably good looking. Oh and look, his lips were so close once again.
She smiled coyly almost challenging him. He seemed to take that as confirmation that he could close off lines of communication again, and bent his head down to meet her waiting lips. Lexi was overwhelmed with his touch this time. Apparently, her challenging look had changed his mood, because now he was kissing her with fury and reckless abandon. It was invigorating.
Just as their tongues began to move against each other the back door spun open wide nearly knocking Lexi in the head. Ramsey popped his head up toward the door in surprise, and came close to losing his balance with Lexi in his arms at the unexpected interruption. Lexi let her head loll backward to get a look at the intruder. Striking blue eyes filled with venom met her own eyes, and she shivered at the sheer amount of malice he was sending off in waves. Ramsey quickly righted her placing a steadying arm across her shoulders. She gulped.
Jack.
Oh Jack.
She hadn’t quite realized his infatuation with her when she got angry until that moment. He looked smoking hot. Shit! Her beer goggles were fogging up with how gorgeous he was.
“What’s going on out here?” Jack spat through gritted teeth.
“I…uh…” she began.
“Lexi wasn’t feeling well. I think she drank too much,” Ramsey interjected smoothly. “I thought she could use some fresh air.” Ramsey glanced from Jack’s furious face to Lexi’s sheepish grin. She looked like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Something was up between the two of them. He just wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
“Hey baby, ready to go?” Bekah asked announcing her presence in the lit doorway. Her bright smile began to fade as the tension in the air hit her. Something was up. She couldn’t figure out why this Lexi girl caused commotion everywhere she went. Was it completely necessary to put everyone’s emotions on end all the time?
“Um…did I miss something?” Bekah asked, her tone concerned.
Ramsey’s eyes remained locked on Jack’s face. He was really curious to know what was going on between them. Why would he invite Lexi to Atlanta when he quite obviously had feelings for her? Were they having an affair? That just didn’t make sense to him. There would be no point in introducing her to Bekah, and keeping up pretenses if that were the case. Bekah was smart enough that she would see straight through them. At least, he hoped that she was capable of being an unbiased judge about the whole situation.
No, there must be something more to the situation. Something that Bekah quite possibly knew about. He wanted to know what was going on. While he was stuck under Jack’s lethal gaze probably wasn’t the best time to start asking questions.
Or maybe he just liked Lexi. There was something so real…so raw about her personality. She didn’t hold back. She wasn’t afraid to be blunt, to say things that you weren’t expecting, to completely ignore someone with wealth and influence. These were not things that people did, especially not the people he hung out with. Everyone was so desperate to please him all the time. And much of the time they were only interested in him for his money. Up until their kiss, which he attributed to the compulsive personality he was beginning to become fond of, he hadn’t even really thought that Lexi liked him at all. More like she resented him for the very virtues that everyone else flocked to him for having.
“I don’t think so,” Ramsey finally answered breaking the silence.
“Why you are all so tense?” she trilled hoping to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, Jack, why are we all so tense?” Ramsey couldn’t keep himself from asking.
Jack’s face immediately lightened some. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not tense,” he said shrugging his lifted shoulders.
“All right, well can we just get out of here. I’m tired,” she pleaded her blue eyes opening wide as she looked up at him. He didn’t even have a glance for her as his eyes remained locked onto Ramsey and Lexi who were still huddled together.
“Yeah, we were just leaving,” Jack growled. “You ready?” he asked nodding his head
toward Lexi.
“Oh, well I’m not ready to leave. We just got here,” Lexi said lamely. Actually, she had no idea what time it was, and didn’t particularly care.
“No, Lex, it’s past eleven. Bekah and I have to work early in the morning so we’re heading out. You have to come with us,” he demanded.
How had she missed that they had been at Ramsey’s for over three hours? Time had just flown by. Lexi’s eyes shifted from Jack to Bekah and then up at Ramsey. She knew there was some reason she hadn’t wanted to come to this party. Where was she going to sleep now that she was hammered? She couldn’t stay at Jack’s. They would definitely end up sleeping together. She was already turned on, and with all his bubbling anger she was sure he wouldn’t be able to control himself. There was no way she was staying in Bekah’s ridiculous Easter egg house. Honestly, she didn’t have the money for a hotel, but there was no other option.
“Oh, I see,” Lexi said wobbling even in Ramsey’s grasp.
“Well, let’s go then,” Jack said reaching for Lexi’s arm.
Ramsey could see the reluctance on Lexi’s face. He vaguely remembered her telling him that she was supposed to be staying with her parents tonight nearly an hour away from his apartment. There was no way she was going to make it there in her condition. For some reason, he instantly felt protective of her. He didn’t want her to stay at Jack’s house. Something deep inside him told him that it would be bad news if they were stuck in the same house together.
“She said she didn’t want to leave,” Ramsey said his voice turning business-like. He had moved just a fraction of a step forward, but it was enough to make Jack drop his hand. “She can stay here and party more if she wants. It’s not like anyone else is going to be leaving at eleven.” He hadn’t intended for his words to come out quite so condescendingly, but he had managed to get his point across. Jack and Bekah both were looking at him curiously. Almost as if it were the first time they had ever looked at him.
“Ramsey, can I talk to you for a minute in private?” Bekah asked, her voice oozing with sisterly affection.
He glanced from Jack to Lexi and back. He didn’t want to leave them alone. Something was gnawing at him, and he didn’t know what it was. But it’s not like he could always deny them alone time if Lexi was here visiting Jack, and he’d never been able to deny his sister anything. Reluctantly, he nodded and Ramsey and Bekah retreated back into the kitchen closing the door behind them.
Lexi and Jack were alone. They both realized that this was the first time since this morning at his apartment that they had been completely alone. Sure anyone could walk outside and find them together, but that didn’t matter. The electricity coming from their nearness was intense.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had allowed herself to drink this much around Jack. Before, if she knew there was even a possibility that they might end up alone together, she wouldn’t touch the stuff. But she hadn’t anticipated this moment. She knew she wasn’t thinking clearly even as she walked toward him.
“What were you doing?” Jack asked his earlier anger resurfacing. He had drunk a few too many beers himself, but not enough to get him past the tipsy stage.
“What are you talking about?” she asked taking another step closer.
“You were kissing Bekah’s brother!” he exclaimed unable to control his fury.
“If you already knew what I was doing, then why did you have to ask?” she questioned him, her voice laced with sugarcoated inflections.
“How could you do that?”
She stopped her progression. Why was he being like this? God, she was so fed up with him being so goddamn demanding all the time. He didn’t own her by any means. He couldn’t decide whom she could see, and whom she could kiss. He had no rights, no claim on her…not anymore. “You want to know?” she asked returning his fury.
“Yes, I want to know how you could go and kiss him knowing that I’m here. Knowing what you…mean to me.”
“What I mean to you?” she asked in disbelief. He nodded. “I don’t care if she hears,” she spoke the words softly.
“What?”
“I heard you at Bekah’s house. You told her that you didn’t care if I heard you with her.”
“Lex, I didn’t mean it,” he said once he realized his mistake.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I told her that I didn’t mean it. Did you hear that?”
“Yes, I heard it.”
“And you still don’t believe me.”
“No, I don’t believe you Jack.”
“But why? I’d never want to hurt you again Lex.”
She shook her head furiously. “Don’t say those things to me. It’s just wrong. You can’t ever say those things to me again, Jack Howard!”
“Lex, please, listen to me. I swear to you that I didn’t mean it. I shouldn’t have said it, but I did not mean it.”
“It doesn’t matter. You don’t care about me Jack. I’m not sure if you ever did.” Once the words were out she couldn’t get them back. She wasn’t really sure if she wanted them back though. She wondered sometimes if he really did ever care about her. Her intoxicated mind told her she was being ridiculous, but she couldn’t stop herself. “If you had cared, you wouldn’t have left New York,” she cried spitefully.
“Lex…”
“So don’t tell me what I can do like you always have. Don’t tell me that I can’t kiss whomever I want. Don’t tell me that I can’t do what I want.”
He stared at her with his mouth agape. When had she turned so cynical? How could she ever believe that he didn’t care for her? Sure things hadn’t always been peachy, and he had said and done things he wasn’t proud of, but he had always cared. Always.
But he didn’t say any of those things.
“How much have you had to drink?” he asked, his eyes hardening again at her accusations.
“Don’t you dare try and blame this on the alcohol.”
“How can I not? Look at yourself,” he commanded her, openly surveying her flustered appearance. “You look like a two cent hooker flushed after securing a sugar daddy for the night,” he stated cruelly. She had struck a nerve too close to home, and he couldn’t control his retaliation. If she thought he didn’t care, well then he would show her what that was really like.
It was Lexi’s turn to have her mouth drop open. He couldn’t mean that. After all, it was his stupid girlfriend that made her wear this outfit. And sure she was flushed, but it certainly wasn’t from Ramsey! August in Atlanta wasn’t exactly breezy, to say the least. The environment was blazing hot and downright sticky from the off the charts humidity ratings.
But Jack wasn’t finished. “Are you so easy, Lexi, that you’d rather stay here with someone you don’t even know? Someone who is already taking advantage of your drunken state?”
Her mind couldn’t even begin to process the nasty remarks Jack was sending her way. Had he really just called her easy? Just accused her of using Ramsey for his money? Was he on crack?
“Why are you being such an ass?” she muttered between clenched teeth.
“I’m just being honest. Anyone else who would have stepped through that doorway would have seen the same thing. I just want you to know that.”
Despite the falsity behind Jack’s statements, her emotions were beginning to get the best of her again. Jack kissing Bekah. Jack dancing intimately with Bekah. Jack fondling Bekah. And now he was accusing her of doing things…while he claimed that he cared for her. It’s not like he had exactly made that clear. Why was he playing these games? Tears began to well in her eyes, and she rushed to brush them away. Why was she even crying over him? He was only saying these things to get a reaction out of her. She knew that. But she just couldn’t stop it.
“Why don’t you…just…leave?” she asked between hiccups.
“Why don’t you come with me?” he countered making it sound like another demand. He took the last step toward her and placed her elbow in his hand.
>
She shook her head trying to get out of his grip. “Why would I want...to be...with you?”
“Can’t you see that I’m looking out for you? You know nothing about Ramsey,” he said trying to reason with her even though he was grasping for excuses to get her away. “He’s not exactly a nice guy.”
“Neither are you!”
“You know me Lexi. You don’t know him. You don’t know what he can be like. I know how he is with women, and I know the type of women he associates with. You’re better than all of them combined, but if you keep throwing yourself around like them, he’s going to treat you the same way. So stop being so stubborn, and let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“No! God, you’re blaming me for drinking too much? I can’t believe what just came out of your mouth.”
“I wasn’t kissing some random guy.”
“Now that would be a sight.”
“You know what I mean. You were the one making out with a guy you just met when you know absolutely nothing about him. What’s gotten into you, Lexi?”
“What’s gotten into me? You’re the one practically getting a blow job in the living room. So don’t come here on your high horse and try and bring me down for kissing someone. Last I checked I could kiss whomever the fuck I want, because unlike some people I’m not attached. Not that it seems to stop you,” she snarled crossing her arms over her chest.
“Oh we’re back here again,” he huffed. “Haven’t we covered the topic about things being different?” As the words came out of his mouth, he couldn’t help but let his eyes crawl her body. She was so angry right now, and coupled with her dangerously revealing outfit she looked amazing. He hadn’t meant to say such harsh things to her, but it’s like she hadn’t ever listened to a word he said to her. It’s not like he was about to go and kiss her now…even if he wanted to. He remembered the last time her lips had been on his and it sent shocks through his body. He knew he could kiss her. He had always known that fact…taken advantage of her desire for him just like he had claimed Ramsey had. But still he wanted to think things were different.