The Avoiding Series Boxset

by K. A. Linde

  “Oh,” she said nodding along as if she cared. “Where are you supposed to be meeting this guy?”

  “Here, actually. I tend to feel more comfortable in clubs, but he hasn’t showed yet,” he said his eyes leaving her for the first time to scan the VIP area one more time. “Guess he got caught up.”

  Lexi pulled his blue and white striped tie between her fingers and tugged lightly. “Well, then it’s your lucky day, isn’t it?”

  He smiled wide, obviously enjoying her advances. “I suppose it is. How’s your ankle? Can you dance on it?”

  “It’s just fine.” Lexi nodded checking off number two in her head and wondering if Chyna had beat her to it.

  Armani Guy pulled her onto the dance floor. Typically with all the years of formal dance and gymnastics training she had, it made it rather difficult to find a good partner. It seemed that she had lucked out with this one. He moved with her perfectly in time with the music. He anticipated her change in direction and would even guide her hips to his own rhythm when the music took him. She was starting to get disappointed that she had set the rule that they wouldn’t be taking anyone home. This guy, whoever he was, was actually helping her forget about Jack, and that was a feat in and of itself.

  Lexi didn’t know anything about him except that he was obviously wealthy. And though he seemed like a genuinely nice guy, he helped her when he thought she was injured, she simply couldn’t let herself get swept up into an imaginary attraction to someone she just met. That never ended well for her.

  She needed to take this as far as her drunken brain would allow her. This guy was just like most other men. He wanted one thing and one thing only. When he realized that she wasn’t willing to give him what he was looking for, and she kept telling herself that she wasn’t, then he would find someone who was.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” he questioned into her ear.

  She leaned her head back against his chest and swayed to the music. She wanted to leave with him, but she had promised Chyna. She hadn’t even thought about Chyna for ages which could mean that she had already ditched her for someone else except Chyna was usually good for her word. If she agreed no guys for the night, then she would find Lexi by the end of the night and they would both go home alone. Lexi sighed…both go home alone. She needed to find Chyna. “I’m here with a friend. I can’t leave without her.”

  He located her much more quickly than Lexi would have been capable of alone. His height gave him a distinct advantage. “Chyna, time to go,” Lexi commanded peeling her off of some guy she had locked lips with. Whoever he was didn’t look too pleased, but after seeing Armani Guy he quickly backed off and vacated the premises.

  “Alexa,” she shrieked, “the love of my life!”

  Lexi giggled as Chyna tackled her, forcing them both back into Armani Guy’s hard chest. “Oh, excuse us,” Chyna trilled batting her long lustrous eyelashes.

  “It’s not a problem. I was just helping, Alexa, find you,” he said smiling politely at Chyna.

  “Ohhhh,” she said her eyes moving from Lexi back to Armani Guy. “Well, thank you for that. She’s hardly ever able to find me on her own.”

  “So she told me.”

  “It is time for me to go,” Chyna said faking a yawn. “I guess I should check out. I’m sure you can find your own way home, right chica?”

  Lexi knew this act. It meant that Chyna approved of her choice. “Can you excuse us for a minute?” she asked Armani Guy. As he nodded, she yanked Chyna out of earshot from him. “No guys, remember?”

  “Yeah, but did you see that Armani suit?” she asked, her eyes leaving Lexi’s and glancing back at his build.

  “Yes, I did,” she said snapping at her to get her attention back on her.

  “Did you see those muscles?”

  “Yes, I did,” Lexi growled.

  “Did you see the way his green eyes blazed at the sight of you?” she purred.

  “Chyna, cut it out. I saw, but it’s a girl’s night. I can hook up with him another night.”

  “You are insane, but I love you!” she exclaimed planting a drunken kiss on Lexi’s lips.

  Lexi rolled her eyes. “Yes, I know, dear.”

  “Just for the record, I think you should go for it.”

  “Well, I’m not going to. Some other time,” she said as she turned toward Armani Guy. “Sorry, we have to get out of here.”

  “We?” he asked incredulously. She pointed between her and Chyna and his face transformed at the realization that she was going to leave without him. He had put in all that work for nothing. She could tell he wasn’t pleased. They had hit it off, but she wasn’t ready to go home with him yet. Not tonight at least.

  “Sorry. I know you have that meeting,” she quickly improvised. “Maybe we can meet up some other time.”

  “I’m leaving the city tomorrow, but maybe I could get your number and the next time I’m in town we can meet up.”

  Chyna grumbled something in her ear, but she swatted her away not wanting to hear her voice of reason. Of course she should go home with this guy, but that really wasn’t going to help her tonight. She was too drunk at this point to go home with his guy. She quickly punched her digits into his Blackberry and then dragged Chyna to the door.

  As they drove back to Lexi’s dorm, Chyna kept staring at Lexi in dismay. “I don’t want to hear one word,” Lexi said pointing her finger in Chyna’s direction.

  Chyna pulled a zipper across her lips, but raised her eyebrows in further disapproval. A few minutes later as they entered the dorm, Chyna couldn’t hold back any longer. “You should have gone with him.”

  “Yeah, I probably should have, but there will be other guys and other nights.”

  Chyna scooted closer to Lexi as they reached the top of the stairs and began walking down the stained hallway Chyna had been so uneasy about earlier that afternoon. “Yeah, but he was delicious.”

  “I guess he was.”

  “I hope he calls you though.”

  “I doubt he will,” Lexi said coming to a stop in front of the door and fumbling for her keys.

  Lexi pushed the door open and immediately veered toward the bedroom. Chyna shut the door behind her and walked toward the lumpy couch. She plopped down allowing her aching feet a reprise from their tormentors. Just as her butt hit the cushion, she jumped up screaming at the realization that whatever she had sat on was not a cushion. And now it was moving.

  Lexi darted back out of the room sobering up as soon as she heard the blood-curdling cry echo throughout the apartment. “Chyna, what is it?” she cried unsure what she would find. Lexi gasped in surprise at what appeared to be someone rising from the dead. The figure’s head hung limp and arms were stretched out in front like Frankenstein’s monster. A low menacing moan escaped the person. Just then the figure’s head snapped sideways as Chyna slammed a pillow into the side of his head. Lexi rushed back to the front door, latching on to the handle in the event that they needed to make a run for it, and flicked on the dorm light.

  Chyna brought the pillow viscously back down on the intruder several more times. A yell sounded from the person seated on the couch. “Oww, stop that.”

  “Get out of here! You can’t take our stuff!” Chyna screamed smacking him across the face another time.

  “I’m here to see Lexi, Goddamn. Chill out,” the intruder cried shielding himself from Chyna’s assault.

  “Chyna, stop,” Lexi demanded her feet frozen in place as she stared forward. Chyna paused mid-swing, and then brought the pillow back down to her side. She glanced back at Lexi in confusion. The intruder looked to where she had spoken ignoring the possibility of another attack. Lexi’s throat caught at the sight. “This is Jack.”

  “Jack. Jack, Jack. You mean the Jack?” Chyna asked stumbling on the name.

  Lexi nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Well then,” she mumbled tossing the pillow onto the loveseat, “guess that’s my cue. Sorry.” She walked to Lexi and gave her a quick
hug whispering into her ear, “Let me know if you need anything, sweetie.”

  “Jack, what are you doing here? How did you get inside? How did you know where I was?” she asked letting loose a string of questions that had flown through her head at the sight of him.

  He stared at her in awe. He stared at her like he had never seen her before. He stared at her like she was his lifejacket and he was sinking.

  “Jack,” she whispered the earlier memories that she had briefly evaded her were clouding her vision once more.

  He stood quickly and scooped her into his arms. “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered sweetly into her ear.

  Goosebumps cascaded up her arms as she circled his neck. “I’ve missed you too,” she admitted.

  When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes breathing her in. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She felt like she was so drunk that perhaps she had passed out and was dreaming about Jack being here.

  “Don’t ask that. I’m sorry for everything. I ended it with Kate. All I saw was you when I looked at her.”

  “Me.”

  “Yeah. I was an idiot for staying with her. You’re what I want.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, Lexi. You.”

  “Oh,” she whispered breathlessly, pushing her fingers up into his dark, thick, mess of hair and twisting the strands around her fingertips.

  “I shouldn’t have come like this.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have,” she agreed shaking her head.

  He pulled back to look at her and her breath caught again as his brilliant blue eyes locked onto her. “I really am sorry for everything, Lex.”

  She nodded knowing he meant it. She let the memory of him telling her that he loved her for the first time wash over her. It had been so long since she had allowed herself to think of that without tears springing to her eyes. He was here for her. He had come to New York for her.

  “I didn’t mean to scare your friend.”

  “Don’t mind Chyna. She’s probably already asleep. How did you get inside anyway?” she asked her brow furrowing.

  “One of your roommates let me in. I told her I was a friend of yours and that I’d wait to see you,” he said sheepishly.

  “Ugh,” she groaned, “You could have been anyone. I’m going to have to talk to them about this.”

  He pulled her closer against him again. “Aren’t you glad they didn’t turn me away?” he asked, his mouth turning into his characteristic smirk.

  “Very glad,” she agreed allowing his lips to fall on hers and savoring the taste of him. In fact, what was going on in her head was how glad she was that she hadn’t gone home with Armani Guy, because what she had come home to was nothing compared to what she had found at a club. She applauded herself for her stubborn nature.

  “Lex?”

  “Yeah?” she mumbled licking her lips.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” she said for the first time, allowing herself to tell him how she really felt. Then she got lost in Jack’s kiss once more.

  PRESENT

  “Mmm,” Jack grumbled holding onto Lexi’s waist tightly, “where ya goin’?”

  Lexi sighed back into his embrace loving the feel of him pressed against her. At the same time, her stomach rolled knowing that she shouldn’t be wrapped up in him like she was. She had been lying there half the morning, her stomach knotting and unknotting for every thought she had about Jack. They had talked the night away and managed to stay closer to the friend’s side of the spectrum, but she knew they couldn’t stay there. She knew she didn’t want to stay there. Nor did he. In fact, he had been the one that said that he wanted to be with her. Luckily, she had kept her wits about her long enough to tell him she wanted him, but only if she could have all of him.

  Yet, it was still nagging at her. If she had really meant that, she would have left last night. She wouldn’t have stayed up with him and imbibed a bottle of wine. She wouldn’t have woken up this morning with his arms wrapped around her.

  “I…I’m going to make some coffee,” she whispered attempting to extract his hands from around her middle.

  “No. Don’t leave me, Lex,” he begged nuzzling into her neck and trailing light kisses across her skin.

  Her body reacted wonderfully to his touch, forcing her back to arch and head to lean back. “Jack, you can’t do that.”

  “But I wanna,” he mumbled obviously still half-asleep. “You taste so good.”

  She giggled at his slurred speech and attempted to push him away again. That only made him latch on harder to her. “Jack, come on.”

  “I love it when you talk dirty,” he muttered seductively, biting down on her earlobe.

  Lexi smacked him playfully on the arm and wiggled out of his embrace. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Don’t be too long,” he said, his face nearly covered by the covers once again.

  Lexi trekked out of the room in nothing but her red boy short underwear and one of Jack’s old D-Bags band t-shirts that was much too big for her. She padded down the hallway and into the living room. Her eyes roamed the maze of candles displayed around the room and sighed at the memory of last night. She had promised herself she wouldn’t do this. But the only way to change it was to leave the apartment and return home this minute.

  But she couldn’t do that. She was not physically capable of leaving him like this. Yes, things had happened in their past that made her angry with him. Yes, he was as arrogant as they came. Yes, he had a girlfriend who he had been thinking of marrying.

  Despite all that, she couldn’t leave. She had wanted to be with Jack for so long that the thought of leaving him without finding out if they actually could be would break her heart all over again. She knew that she had probably given him more chances than anyone else would have bothered with, but those women didn’t understand what she was going through. If they weren’t willing to push through the hard times and savor the good times, then they didn’t understand men at all. Everything wasn’t always going to be peachy keen, and Lexi knew that, but she had been around Jack long enough to know how he worked. And one thing she knew, the one thing that kept her going through it all, was how she felt about him.

  She had never wavered in her affection for him. Six years was a long time to wait for someone. And though times had been trying, Lexi knew deep down that Jack was what she had always wanted. Everything and everyone else had just been a distraction to help her forget him.

  Lexi pressed her cold hand to her head hoping to soothe out her concerns. Exhaustion was starting to set in and the last thing she needed was to add a headache to that mix. She fumbled around in her purse until she located her cell phone, then trudged into the kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee.

  She had a missed call from her parents that she knew she ought to return right away. She was supposed to have gone home yesterday, but with everything that had happened with Jack, Ramsey, and Bekah, she hadn’t been able to get away. Guilt pushed past exhaustion on the top of her list as she cleared away her parent’s number, and punched Chyna’s instead. She couldn’t face her parents yet.

  Chyna picked up after a few rings, and by the sound of her voice, she must have still been sleeping. “Hmmm? Hello?” she mumbled into the phone.

  “Morning, sunshine.”

  “Alexa, is that you?”

  “Yep. Sorry I didn’t call you back.”

  “I’m sorry, am I supposed to know who you are?” she grumbled irritably into the phone. “The Alexa I know never forgets a phone call.”

  “Oh, shush you. It’s not like you never forget to call me back.”

  Chyna yawned loudly. “Fine. What’s up? I’m sleeping.”

  “Actually, you’re awake now.” Lexi heard rustling on the other line and rolled her eyes.

  “I’m only half-awake. Hold on, chica. Let me kick him out. I have no idea why he though
t he could stay the night.” A loud smacking sound could be heard followed by a howl from the gentleman who had shared her bed the night before. A slur of words in Spanish cut through the line, and Lexi was pretty certain the majority of which were not pleasant. Chyna’s voice raised an octave as she insulted him back in Spanish. A smashing sound came next from what Lexi guessed was one of the pieces of priceless china she kept around her room breaking into a million pieces. A second later a door slammed and Chyna returned on to the phone. “Sorry about that. He doesn’t speak much English, but he’s maddeningly handsome with all that Latin passion. Mmm mmm mmm.”

  Lexi giggled at her best friend. “I’m sure he is, knowing you.”

  “Now, spill everything. You went on a date and then didn’t have the decency to discuss all the sordid details with yours truly. I’m horrified. Does that mean it went too well and you’ve been locked in his apartment for two days, or was it so bad you were afraid to talk to me?” she asked waking up at the prospect of sharing dating stories.

  “Neither, I suppose. I had a lot going on, but I had an amazing time if you must know,” Lexi offered loving how excited her best friend sounded.

  “And I must. Tell me everything. Who is he? Where did you find him? What did you do? Where did you go? How good was he in the sack?” she asked adding extra emphasis to the last question. “I can’t believe this happens when I’m so far away,” she groaned sounding ridiculously sexy.

  Lexi shook her head at Chyna’s over-the-top personality. “We had a picnic at a laser show outside of the city. It concluded with a gorgeous fireworks display that he arranged with the park specifically for us.”

  “Ooh la la,” she cooed, “Not candlelit dinners and caviar, but we can work with it,” she interjected. “So, who is this Mystery Man? And please, do give me details!”

  “He’s actually…Bekah’s brother. His name is Ramsey. Ramsey Bridges,” she said cringing as she uttered the words. She bit her lip as she waited for Chyna to erupt on her.