The Avoiding Series Boxset

by K. A. Linde

  “I know what Bek wants. She always gets what she wants.” Lexi rolled her eyes dramatically.

  “You want to talk about whom I’m bringing?” he asked in disbelief. “What does it even matter to you?” Silence ensued for another minute.

  “Are you kidding? No, I am not bringing her. Absolutely not. We’re nothing. Nothing. Do you understand me? Can you drop it?” His voice was venomous.

  After another minute, he responded, “I know who her family is. You don’t have to remind me. Honestly, why are we even still having this conversation? I know everything about her. I know how you and Mom feel about her. I know how you feel about everything,” he spat. During the next pause, Lexi could actually hear his deep breaths. She imagined his chest was rising and falling as he brimmed with anger.

  “Just stop, stop talking. This conversation is over. We can discuss it more some other time if you insist,” he said.

  Lexi, realizing that the discussion had come to a close, kicked the swinging bathroom door with her foot to make it sound as if she had just left the bathroom, and rounded the corner. He turned at her approach and a full smile filled his gorgeous face. “Lexi,” he muttered huskily taking in every inch of her.

  “Hey,” she acknowledged him nodding slightly. He scooped her up into a sudden embrace, lifting her effortlessly off her feet. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck glad that whatever had transpired didn’t affect their time together.

  “It’s great to see you. How was the drive in?” he asked setting her back on her feet and gesturing for her to proceed him.

  She teetered briefly on the tiny heels attached to her boots before walking up to the ticket booth, all the while explaining her brief encounter with traffic. Ramsey purchased the tickets and followed Lexi into the main entrance. “At least it wasn’t that bad. I would have picked you up, you know?” he said smiling down at her.

  “You told me,” she reminded him. “But I just borrowed my mom’s car. No biggie.”

  Lexi desperately wanted to ask him more about the conversation she had eavesdropped on. She didn’t really want to talk about the wedding. She was bound and determined to never hear about it, but she couldn’t help her curiosity. Ramsey had to attend that much was clear.

  But his necessary appearance at the wedding wasn’t what had aroused her interest. What she really wanted to know was whom this woman was his father had suggested to him. Lexi could hear Bekah’s words about Ramsey being a player echo in the back of her mind. It wasn’t like Bekah was the only one who had warned her off Ramsey.

  She tried to shake off the feeling of discomfort that was creeping across her temples. Sure, she didn’t know Ramsey all that well, but so far he had been nothing but cordial. In fact, he had been a perfect gentleman. They had gone on at least a dozen dates since she had invited him to the engagement party and thus far, all they had done was kiss. She welcomed the change though. After practically throwing herself at him that night, she had vowed to give herself the time she needed to heal. Immediately jumping into bed with another man was the worst idea she could fathom.

  Though it did make her wonder sometimes if he was dating other people. She had never had it in her to ask if he was seeing other people. She couldn’t imagine that he would only be dating her. They saw each other so infrequently and, sex…well, it was something she was willing to work toward.

  She gulped hard at the thought of him with someone and tried to hide her discomfort. The last thing she wanted to think about was Ramsey with someone else. She knew that she had no claim to him, but they were just at the beginning of a relationship and the idea made her nervous.

  “So, what does your family do for Thanksgiving?” Ramsey questioned her.

  “Oh, nothing fancy,” she said shoving a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Usually it’s just my family. My mom cooks, and I snuggle up in front of the fireplace to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with my two younger sisters. But this year for some reason,” Lexi rolled her eyes, “my mom decided to invite everyone to our house for Thanksgiving. Both sets of grandparents are flying in tomorrow. All of my aunts and uncles and their kids are here already. It’s a mad house.”

  “Sounds nice,” he said dreamily.

  “Psh, nice,” she muttered sarcastically. “What do you do? It has to be better.”

  “When I wake up, I put on a suit to go have a formal breakfast with my father’s most prestigious business associates. They talk business,” he stated dryly. “I’m expected to contribute now that I am older. From there, every minute of the day is mapped out with things we’re supposed to be doing to help the business. The business this and the business that,” he quoted sardonically. “My grandparents are shoved in their somewhere briefly, before we finish with a more formal dinner at the Club.”

  “Let me guess, they discuss business?” Lexi asked only half joking.

  “Ding, ding, ding,” he said raising his hand in the air.

  A wave of compassion flowed through Lexi’s body. She knew that Ramsey wasn’t exactly fond of his father or Bridges Enterprise, which his father and grandfather had built from the ground up, but she had never envisioned why. She had always assumed that he had everything, but she was starting to realize that there was much more to Ramsey than she had originally anticipated. “Ramsey I’m sor…” she began, but she was cut off.

  “Please, you’re the last person I want sympathy from,” he said gently. “I shouldn’t have even mentioned it.”

  “No, it’s all right,” Lexi said averting her eyes and staring into a large mural of the ocean.

  “I’m really not trying to play the poor-little-rich-kid routine,” he muttered, disgust in his voice. “I guess this time of year just grates my nerves.”

  “You have every right to be upset about it,” she told him gingerly, dancing around the subject.

  “Well, there’s no point in discussing it,” he said veering away from her and into the next exhibit room. “It is what it is.”

  “I think talking helps,” she murmured almost instantly regretting that statement. He could ask her a million and a half things that she had no desire to discuss. She knew he was curious about her, but she was hesitant to share too much information about herself. What she could share—what she had shared so far—was barely scratching the surface.

  He would find out eventually the kind of person she had once been. She knew it was inevitable. If Ramsey had any knowledge of what had occurred between her and Jack in her past, he didn’t act like it. And for now, at least, she wanted to keep it that way.

  “I think talking can be helpful,” he agreed, “but not right now.” He shot her a quick smirk his green eyes glowing. “For now, I’m on a date with a beautiful woman, and I should be enjoying that.”

  “Oh, you think we’re on a date, do you?” Lexi asked playfully crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a devilish grin.

  “Is this not what this is?” he questioned, taking a step toward her.

  “Well, I don’t know. Are you going to take me out to dinner?” she asked him following his lead and stepping into him. “Sweep me off my feet? Walk me to my doorstep and give me a lingering kiss good night?” She arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

  Ramsey leaned into her, pulling her body close to him. He dipped his head down close enough to huskily whisper into her ear, “Can I give you a lingering kiss on my doorstep and convince you to make it more than linger?”

  Lexi let a faint gasp pass through her lips at his words, and the gentle nip on her ear sent shivers down her entire body. She forced her body to stay in check, biting down forcefully on her lip to keep her emotions under control.

  They were taking things slow.

  She could take things slow. She repeated the words to herself over and over in her mind as he slowly backed away from her.

  She had been impulsive in her past and look where that had gotten her. Nowhere. She certainly didn’t intend to keep repeating the same mistakes all
over again. Taking a deep breath, Lexi glanced up into Ramsey’s glistening green eyes. He was laughing at her with those beautiful eyes. He had been teasing her with her desire. But she could tell there was more. Despite the playful look apparent in his eyes, she knew he had really only been half-joking. He wanted her to come over, and he wanted to do more than kiss her.

  “Perhaps I’ll grant you your wish then,” she said just as playfully as he was acting, “but only if you can catch me.” She tapped him on the shoulder and muttered, “You’re it,” then darted off through the museum.

  She knew it was childish and not to mention dangerous. If she made one wrong move, she could land on a priceless piece of artwork. She hadn’t been able to help herself though. It was completely irrational. He would be able to catch up to her in an instant in her boots, but she darted around the exhibits nonetheless. Ramsey followed in pursuit seemingly unaware of the older couples that were shooting them death stares.

  Lexi dove behind a large statue stifling her giggles as she heard his approaching footsteps. Just as the steps came to a halt, she raced out from her hiding spot and through an open hallway filled with classic black and white photographs. She glanced over her shoulder to see him lightly jogging behind her more intent on her backside than actually catching up to her. Giggling, Lexi turned around just in time to find her face to face with an imposing older gentleman.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” he said briskly sidestepping her urgent run.

  “Sorry,” she cried teetering on her heels as she rounded the corner, barely avoiding colliding with the man.

  She heard Ramsey mutter something, which sounded apologetic to the man, but she didn’t slow down long enough to find out. She wasn’t certain what had come over her. A part of her felt so carefree like all her worries had been wiped from her mind. The sound of her feet clicking underneath her kept time for her movements. A bright smile played across her face as she darted past a young couple. They seemed annoyed at first by the disturbance, but when they saw Ramsey in pursuit, their soft chuckles rang in her ears.

  “So what do I get if I catch you?” Ramsey called teasingly down the white expansive hallway.

  “Didn’t you hear me the first time?” she asked between breaths.

  “Oh, I heard you,” Ramsey said. Lexi could hear his steps smacking the floor harder as he picked up speed. “I just want to make sure I know what I’m getting.”

  “Me!” she crowed making a risky pivot turn and nearly falling over as her shoes slid against the slick floorboards. She caught herself just before Ramsey reached her, taking a few hesitant stutter steps before breaking away from him and into a massive open room filled with modern art.

  She raced across the room hoping to make it to the next exhibit before he got close, but there were no turns and nowhere to hide. She couldn’t evade him in here. She simply had to out run him, and that wasn’t going to be possible.

  Lexi felt a hand graze her shoulder and she tried to duck out of the embrace, but Ramsey latched onto her. He grabbed her by the waist, turned her in a full 180, and pulled her into him. He dipped his head down to her face and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Her breath was coming out heavy, from the chase as well as his steamy kiss.

  “I caught you,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Indeed you did,” she agreed.

  “Can I change the terms of our arrangement?” he questioned formally.

  “You don’t want me?” she asked giving him another peck on his cheek and flashing him a devious smile.

  “Oh, I’m still keeping you,” he said gripping her tighter around the waist. “I just have a better idea.”

  “And that is?”

  “I want you to meet my friends,” he told her smoothly.

  Lexi stared at him perplexed. She had originally offered him her body, and now he wanted her to meet his friends. A pretty abrupt change, but he had won after all. “Uh, sure,” she said uncertainly.

  “Meet me at my house tomorrow around five. You’ll have a good time,” he said smiling reassuringly. “Oh and wear something warm.”

  “Warm?” she asked glancing down at her outfit.

  He did the same, taking in her small body and the clothing that covered every curve wonderfully. After a second of thought, he added, “And practical.”

  The next day Lexi arrived at Ramsey’s apartment at five o’clock on the dot. She had dressed as practical as she could muster in a pair of worn blue jeans, red long-sleeve t-shirt covered by an old college sweatshirt, and her running sneakers. Her dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with her bangs pinned back from her face. She snatched a purple and white jacket from the backseat, just in case, and stuck her hands in her back pockets as she approached his apartment warily.

  This was the first time that she had been in Atlanta since August, and memories of this very apartment flooded her mind. The way she had scandalously danced with Ramsey in an effort to forget Jack. Then as Jack peered through the backdoor window to the balcony as she had impulsively leaned into Ramsey’s kiss, their first kiss. She had ended up staying the night, but Ramsey hadn’t tried anything, even then, in her weakened position.

  She had ended up here again—broken, destroyed, torn to pieces. She had been used, abused, and she was no longer the Lexi that she had once been. Her carefree side had vanished into thin air with Jack’s callous behavior. Ramsey had tried to help her, but after almost giving into his desires, she had run out of his house in the middle of the night. She hadn’t even been able to trust her own shadow that day. As she gazed up at his ritzy townhouse, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with all that had occurred.

  Taking a deep breath, Lexi knocked on the door and waited for Ramsey’s quick response. His smile lit up at the sight of her. “You’re here,” he said snatching her up into his arms, turning in place, and planting her on the floor in his apartment.

  “Yep,” she said unable to keep from smiling at his boyish exuberance. He looked as gorgeous as ever in a heather grey, long-sleeve, Henley shirt, dark jeans, and boots.

  Ramsey’s two roommates bounded down the stairs, and Lexi was momentarily frozen as she realized she didn’t remember either of their names. She had met them only briefly several months ago and wasn’t entirely certain whether or not she had learned names even then.

  “Is she here finally?” one of them asked snottily.

  Lexi smiled at his false annoyance. “Lexi, I doubt you remember my charming roommates,” Ramsey stated sarcastically alleviating her brief moment of stress, “Brad and Jason.”

  “Sorry about your first meeting,” Jason said walking forward and shaking her hand. “We’re not ourselves wasted.” He added a shrug for good measure.

  “Speak for yourself,” Brad said sending a quick jab in Jason’s direction.

  Ramsey shook his head at the two guys, as he yanked the door back open, and gestured for them to exit. Lexi followed them to the parking garage and once inside just stared. She knew Ramsey had his pretty little Mercedes, but there were several other cars inside as well. She wasn’t even sure why they kept them all there.

  “We’ll be taking Brad’s Jeep today,” Ramsey said, instructing her toward the bright yellow vehicle. “That’s Jason’s little red Porsche. He thinks it helps him pick up girls.”

  “It does,” Jason whispered to her, before sliding into the front seat of the Jeep.

  “But then…is that…?” she opened the door to the Jeep, but couldn’t tear her eyes from the Italian sports car she had only ever seen on the TV show, Entourage.

  “Yeah, you like that?” Brad asked popping the key in the ignition and revving the engine.

  “Uh, yeah,” Ramsey said, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. “It’s a Maserati.”

  Lexi’s mouth dropped open. She knew how much that car cost. “Hell yeah,” Brad cried, “You should see the Ferrari he keeps in storage. It’s a damn tragedy not to drive that beaut around the city.”

  Lexi swivel
ed instantly, catching Ramsey’s eye. She could tell he was embarrassed by the display of exorbitant wealth before her. He typically tried to tone it down for her, but she knew he had money. She just didn’t really know as much as she thought she did. She took a large gulp and slid into the back seat beside Ramsey still taking in the knowledge that he owned two cars that cost more than any house her parents had ever owned.

  “Maybe if you’re lucky, he’ll take you out on the Ducati,” Jason said turning around to look at her as Brad pulled out of the driveway.

  “The what?” she asked unfamiliar with that name.

  “Ducati, it’s a motorcycle,” Ramsey informed her.

  “You have a motorcycle?” Lexi asked, a shiver of anticipation going down her back.

  “Yeah, if he can ever get the damn thing working,” Brad interjected. “You should just take it to a mechanic.”

  Ramsey shrugged the comment off as if he’d heard it time and time again. “I like to work on it myself. Makes me know that it’s getting done right.”

  “You work on motorcycles?” she asked in disbelief. Her mind was spinning with all the new information about him. How had she ever thought he was some stereotypical Country Clubber? There was obviously much more to Ramsey that she had no idea about. He was an enigma.

  She tried to force out Bekah’s words, but she couldn’t help hearing them over and over.

  He’s a player.

  You don’t know him.

  You’ve only ever seen one side of him.

  Ramsey had only shown her one side, but nonetheless Lexi was seeing a new side. A side she liked, though it scared the hell out of her. She hated to think Bekah had been right in anything. She hated having doubts about Ramsey.

  And though she had a hard time dispelling her reservations, she needed to focus more on having fun with him then analyzing his every move. She had been hurt before, but she didn’t want that to define her.

  Brad kept the music blasting to old 90s rock music the entire ride, leaving very little room for conversation from that point on. That was fine with Lexi. She was still processing, and didn’t really want to blabber a slew of personal questions in front of Ramsey’s roommates. She could wait for later.