by Aimee McNeil
A satisfied look brightened his features. “You are also a horrible liar. Since you bought all these necessities,” Jackson held up her bags to verify his point, “I know you ran off unexpectedly. Now, you’re all alone in a cottage in the middle of the woods next to someone you don’t know if you want to run to or from. See, Lexie, you are an open book.”
Despite the unease that he was able to read her so well, she couldn’t help the thought of how good her name sounded coming from his lips.
“Obviously I need to work on my game face. It was just a fun last-minute getaway. I have people meeting me here. They should be arriving anytime.”
“Mmm hmm,” Jackson responded in a tone that indicated he was not convinced at all. “Like I said, terrible liar.”
CHAPTER FIVE
When Lexie opened her front door, Jackson insisted on bringing the bags inside. He looked so much bigger inside the cottage as he walked in. She wondered what it would be like to roam the world with confidence like his, never seeming out of place. He set the bags on the small round table. Picking up a pen, he scribbled on the notepad sitting next to the bags before he turned toward Lexie. When his gaze fell on her, she tried to hide the fact she was trying to see what he was writing.
“Um…thanks again for helping me home and sorry about your shirt.” Lexie’s nervousness skyrocketed now they were alone. This seemed riskier now that they did not have the background of happy campers to diffuse her nerves.
Jackson looked down at his shirt, the stain barely visible on the grey color now that it had dried. He reached over his head and pulled his shirt off. Lexie backed up until the refrigerator pressed into her back. She knew her mouth was hanging open. She couldn’t pry her gaze away from his beautifully tanned skin. His body was carved into the most delectable male form she had ever seen. Coiled muscle after muscle molded his flesh into a body made for sin. He tossed it into the garbage can next to her.
Jackson looked at her, his eyes carving through the distance between them like a hot knife through butter. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, and Lexie felt like melting. His gaze was enough to stop time, and she found herself completely lost in his captivating eyes. She doubted she had the will to stop whatever his intentions were.
He moved closer. Lexie swallowed her nerves. They were wound so tight in her stomach it ached. When he came toe to toe with her, Lexie’s breath broke as it escaped her. Her mouth watered from his nearness and enticing scent. She grasped the handle of the fridge like it would save her from falling.
He placed his hand on the top of the refrigerator, and Lexie felt the strength in her legs seep to the floor. Her whole body shook as he grazed her cheek with his. Lexie closed her eyes and tipped her head back. All logical thoughts were a distant memory as she held her breath in anticipation. She was completely under his spell.
His heat was suddenly replaced by the cool air of the room. Lexie’s eyes flashed open to see him standing a few feet away from her. “Your faucet is dripping.”
“What?” Lexie gasped. Her eyes flew open, and she looked over at the sink. Sure enough, there was a slow drip she hadn’t even noticed until now. She was breathless from the build-up of sexual tension that had her squeezing her thighs together. He walked out of her kitchen and down the hall without another word. Lexie was left speechless, staring after his retreating form as he opened the door. He looked back at her, his large frame filling the doorframe.
Lexie lifted the camera that still hung around her neck and snapped a picture before he left. She needed a picture to convince herself this really happened because as soon as she came down from this strange high she was bound to question her sanity.
“Dear God…what the hell was that?” Lexie ran her hand over her sensitized chest, her nipples straining through the material of her dress. She couldn’t understand why her body decided to fire up now. Her life was crumbling around her, but a moment ago she would have agreed to anything to have Jackson’s lips against hers. All thoughts of her mother and the men that had been after her and even Alex had completely faded away. The realization scared her. She had been a slave to what Jackson waved in front of her. Now that he was gone, she was relieved things didn’t proceed further. She needed to stay away from him. Jackson was the last thing she needed in her life right now.
Lexie walked back to the garbage can and pulled his shirt out. The material felt so soft against her skin. There was no way she was leaving it in the garbage. It just needed to be washed—eventually. Lexie held it to her nose. It smelled of vanilla and Jackson—delicious.
On the refrigerator Lexie noticed the fifty-dollar bill she had given Jackson under a small magnet of a horseshoe. He placed it there when she thought he was going to kiss her. Her lips still tingled with anticipation. She didn’t understand the feelings that swirled within her. It was as if a part of her she forgot about was suddenly waking up and demanding attention. Thoughts of Alex made guilt twist violently in her chest. She shouldn’t want to kiss someone else.
Lexie grabbed a grocery bag off the table and began placing a few items in the fridge, taking long slow breaths to slow her still frenzied heart. She placed the milk, butter, and eggs in the fridge and closed the door.
“Holy crap.” Lexie’s hands flew to her chest when she noticed Jackson walk back into her kitchen. He was wearing a new shirt and carrying a toolbox. “You’re back?” Lexie looked up at him questioningly.
“I want to fix your drip.” He lifted his tools with a raised brow. He set the box on the counter and opened it.
“You have already done enough. You don’t need to fix my sink too.” Lexie made sure to keep her distance this time. She grabbed the material of her dress and twisted the fabric between her fingers. He made her incredibly nervous.
“I already whipped out my tool, Lexie. No going back now. When I see something that needs doing, I do it.” Jackson held up a wrench and threw a seductive smile her way. “I can’t leave a beautiful woman in distress.”
“Oh.” Heat flashed across Lexie’s face as she tried to keep her mouth from falling open at his suggestive tone. She wasn’t sure she could survive the physical affects Jackson had on her body. “Thank you.”
Jackson opened up the cabinet doors and leaned in under the sink. Lexie took the opportunity to move over to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down before the rush of hormones knocked her off her feet. She tried not to watch Jackson as he climbed under the sink and made a few adjustments. She quickly found out how impossible it was to ignore him, especially the way his body flexed and his shirt rode up to reveal abs that she could easily imagine running her tongue over. She could feel her body temperature rise. It was as if she hadn’t eaten in days and he was a big plate of things she knew would taste divine. She avoided his gaze when he turned around. She had to work on discretion or he was going to think her an awkward mess. He dropped his tools back in the box. “All done.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.” Jackson wiped off his hands and grabbed a small box off the windowsill that Lexie hadn’t even noticed before now. “Do you want to play?” He held it up, and Lexie realized it was a pack of cards.
“Play what?” Lexie asked hesitantly. She was mentally trying to get her body under control. She was beginning to think all of these crazy emotions were the start of a mental break.
“Black Jack.” Jackson pulled out a chair beside Lexie and sat down. Taking the cards out of the box, he began shuffling.
“What are we playing for?”
“Answers. I know you’re dying to ask me questions.” He raised his brow knowingly.
“And you’d actually answer them?” Lexie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“One answer per hand you win.”
“Okay, deal.”
Lexie watched Jackson deal out the cards as she swallowed the emotions working their way up her throat. Jackson dealt the cards, and Lexie looked down at her card facing up—an ace. Lexie picked up her other card to peek u
nderneath. A victorious smile spread across her face. “Twenty-one,” she said.
“Ask your question then.” He leaned back in his chair, resting his arm over the back.
“You didn’t even look at your hand.” Lexie waved to his untouched cards.
Jackson picked up a card and placed it next to his eight. “I’m bust.”
“Who are you?” The question tumbled from her lips.
“That’s a pretty broad question. How about you narrow it down a bit?” Jackson said with a raised brow.
“Okay.” Lexie tapped her fingers on the table. “What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a cop,” Jackson answered casually.
“A cop?” Lexie asked in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”
Jackson reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it up, he laid it down, sliding it across the table. A shiny metal badge stared up at Lexie.
She ran her finger over the intricate design. It was cool to the touch. “I think a cop would have been my last choice. You look more like a break-the-rules type.” Lexie looked up to see him studying her. She desperately wanted to know what he saw when he looked at her. She wondered if he saw that she was just broken pieces barely clinging to each other.
“Cops can be the worst kind of rule breakers,” he replied with a frown.
“And do you break many rules?”
“You already asked your question,” Jackson said as he began dealing another hand.
She looked down to see an ace on her face card. She threw him a glance before she peeked underneath to see the same card as before. “Are you allowing me to win?”
“I want you to know about me.”
“Why don’t you just tell me then?”
“It’s not as fun.” His lips turned up in a crooked grin.
“Why are you here?” Lexie asked curiously.
“Because of you.”
“Me? Why me?” Lexie leaned back in her seat. His answer made her nervous.
“Since I saw you hop down your front steps, that camera wrapped around your neck, and that white dress showing off your sinful legs I haven’t been able to think about anything else.” His dark eyes cut deep into her, causing goosebumps to flash across her skin.
Lexie was not expecting him to say the words that just flowed so casually from his lips. She wasn’t even sure if she heard him correctly and couldn’t bring herself to formulate a response. Jackson stood up and pushed his chair into the table.
“Where are you going?” Lexie asked.
“I don’t want to play anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because I said all I wanted to say and if I stay, all I’ll be thinking about is bending you over this table and fucking you until you can no longer walk.”
Lexie swallowed the enormous lump in her throat. “Is that a bad thing?” Her heart was furiously thumping in her chest to the point she feared it would overheat.
“Yes, because you’re the type good guys keep, not the kind the bad guys fuck.”
“Does that mean you’re a bad guy?”
“I don’t know what I am.” It was the first time she saw his confidence stripped away and she glimpsed something else in his gaze. Something she recognized because it felt familiar to her.
“I feel the same about myself.” Lexie stood up, holding onto the back of her chair in case her legs didn’t cooperate.
“You are not what I expected, Lexie,” Jackson said thoughtfully.
“I can say the same about you.”
“It’s been a pleasure.” Jackson grabbed her hand and brought it up to place a kiss. She immediately turned her hand to cup his cheek. This suddenly felt like a goodbye, and it surprised her how much this terrified her.
“You make me want things I shouldn’t,” Lexie confessed in a rush, completely letting go of her filter.
“I can say the same about you.” Jackson gave her a sad smile as he used her words. He gave her hand a squeeze before he turned and walked out the door again, leaving her completely dumbfounded. This time he didn’t return.
***
Lexie paced back and forth in the small interior of the cabin. The walls felt like they were closing in on her. Every second that passed she swore the room felt smaller. She struggled with conflicting emotions. Her loyalty to Alex was being tested by a man she barely knew. She placed her hand against her chest; her heart belonged to Alex. It would always belong to Alex, but her body had other plans. It now thrummed with energy that was hard to contain because Jackson looked at her with eyes that could pull all the breath from her lungs. She was so tired of feeling stuck. Maybe allowing herself a guilty pleasure with a stranger would give her enough of a nudge to feel alive again. She was tired of feeling so empty, alone, and trapped.
The guilt of thinking of another was easier than dwelling on the unknown when it came to her mother and the men that chased her from her mother’s house. It was difficult to grasp the situation when she felt like she was blindfolded and walking through a minefield. She was so tired of staring at the phone, waiting for the screen to light up.
Lexie looked over at the two bottles of wine she had set on the counter. She was in need of a drink and fresh air or she would combust at the seams. She grabbed the bottles and her phone before heading outside.
CHAPTER SIX
Lexie sat on one of two wooden chairs positioned perfectly to look out over the calm water. A beautiful pink cast stretched across the horizon. The evening sun felt like a warm blanket on her skin as she sipped the rich red wine straight from the bottle. She had searched every cabinet for wine glasses to no avail. Apparently her mother didn’t anticipate her need to drink should she be thrown into these turns of events. She stared at the phone, willing it to ring. The longer she stewed with her unanswered questions, the angrier she became.
She had spent the afternoon taking pictures among the trees that surrounded the handful of cottages. Most of the land was untouched, left to its own accord with a raw, natural beauty that Lexie loved to capture. Normally she would have pulled her pictures up on her computer and worked her magic but she didn’t have access to her computer, or anything in her life.
Lexie tipped the bottle up to her lips, taking a long swallow. The spicy plum flavor warmed her stomach. Lexie picked up her mother’s diary, running her fingers over the leather-bound book. In her current state of mind, she didn’t care if she was intruding upon her mother’s privacy. She was in the middle of nowhere with nothing but her thoughts to occupy her. This terrified her more than the men that had followed her to her mother’s house.
March 5, 1992
John took me out on an official date tonight. It was a beautiful restaurant, and the food was like tasting heaven. The chef even came out to speak with us personally to see if we were enjoying our meal. I’ve never experienced service like that before.
I feel like any moment he is going to realize I’m just a small town girl with only a few dollars to my name. This is definitely not the lifestyle I am used to. I don’t know why he’s insistent on spending time with me when he is constantly surrounded by beautiful woman, dressed in clothing that probably costs more than my car.
He is incredibly handsome, and he treats me like a princess.
I think I am falling in love.
I cannot think about anything else but his amazing blue eyes that I want to dive into and stay forever.
And our kiss…a moment I will never forget.
I never want to wake up from this dream.
March 7, 1992
In the middle of my physiology class a letter was delivered to my desk by another student. All eyes were on me as I opened it. It was from John, and it simply said, “I miss you.”
I wore a stupid smile for the rest of the day…
The phone ringing pulled Lexie’s attention abruptly from her mother’s words. She practically knocked over the bottle of wine in her frantic effort to grab the phone. “Mom?”
“Lexie, are you at th
e cottage?” It was her mother’s voice, but something was off. It was too cold and direct.
“Yes. Where are you?”
“Stay there. I will come to you. I will explain everything when I get there.”
“Are you all right? Where are you? Shouldn’t we call the police?” Lexie had to cut herself off before the flood of questions followed.
“We can’t call the police, Lexie. Not now. I will be there as soon as I can. I will explain when I get there. I love you, Lex.”
“When are you going to be here?”
“As soon as it’s safe. I have to go.”
“You better explain this insanity when you get here,” Lexie demanded, but her mother was already gone. She listened to the silence on the other end of the line. She wanted to throw the phone into the lake in frustration, but she knew she would immediately regret it.
Lexie instead held her phone out and stared at it. She was not good with sitting and waiting. She was about to crawl out of her skin. She needed to talk to someone and dialed the first number that came to mind. The one person who always made her feel better.
“Hello?” Stephanie said hesitantly.
“Steph, it is so good to hear your voice.” Lexie leaned back into her chair.
“Where are you? I’ve been calling you all day! Holy shit, Lexie. I’ve been going out of my mind.”
“I don’t even know where to start, but I’m fine.”
“You just disappeared without any word. Never do that again.”
Stephanie listened quietly as Lexie tried to explain the last two days after they returned from their trip. The men at the diner, how her mother reacted to the name Mary Connors, being followed, the cash, and the fact that her mother made her run out of town without an explanation.
“Holy hell, Lex! What did your mom get herself into?” Stephanie finally exploded. “What are you going to do?”