by Tessa Teevan
“Me? It’s a good thing Jeremy’s here or you’d have guys falling over themselves to get to you! How did you even get that thing on? It looks like you can’t breathe!”
She grins at me as Jeremy comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her. Kissing her neck, he answers me. “She sucked in her breath while she lay face first down on the bed so I could zip her up. It took a minute, but I made that zipper my bitch!” he says triumphantly.
Sierra laughs and nods, letting me know that he’s not joking. I’m chuckling right along with them, silently happy that I’ve never been a fan of tight dresses. To be honest, I’m a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of girl. I only wear dresses on special occasions, and I knew there was no way Sierra would let me out of the house tonight if I was wearing jeans.
“Damn, Lexi, you look like an innocent cowgirl. Jace is going to dig it!” Jeremy exclaims, bursting into an obnoxious rendition of Ginuwine’s Pony as he awkwardly gyrates the open air. Sierra loves it and backs up into it, and I’m thrilled when I hear the doorbell chime, signaling what I hope is Jace’s arrival.
Before I can move, Sierra’s making her way down the hall to answer the door. She opens it in a whirl and makes a big deal about who’s at the door.
“Well, hello, handsome! Come on in,” I hear her drawl to him in a faux Southern accent.
She saunters back down the hall with Jace trailing behind her. He comes into view and my breath catches as my eyes take in his appearance. He’s wearing dark jeans that are slightly faded around his thighs. His muscular chest is covered with a black button up, and the sleeves are rolled up to the middle of his forearms. I can see his tattoo peeking out from under his left sleeve. My eyes roam across his chest where the shirt seems to be straining before I glance up at his face. He’s apparently decided not to shave while he’s on leave, and I’m secretly hoping that I’ll be feeling that stubble all over my body later tonight. He spies me looking him over and shoots me a wink as he turns to greet Jeremy. Not a minute later do I find myself wrapped up in his arms, his lips pressed against my ear.
“You look gorgeous, babe. I always loved it when you wore a dress,” he says, kissing my temple.
“What do you mean? The only time you ever saw me in a dress was when I went to prom with Aaron junior year, and you barely spoke two words to me until the after party,” I say, reminding him of the night that he and Mallory finally broke up for good after she’d tried all night to make Jace ignore me.
He shoots a sexy smile my way as he clears his throat, ignoring my last comment. “Exactly, and I’d always wished you’d wear them more often. You were my girl in shorts and a t-shirt, lounging on the couch watching baseball with me. Seeing you now, dolled up, but not too much. I’m undone.”
I blush at his words, knowing that he’s right—at least about the dress part. This is probably one of the few times he’s seen me in a dress. He’s bending his head to lean in for another kiss when Sierra kills the moment.
“All right, love birds, that’s enough. You’ll have plenty of time to play find the lips later. We need to get this show on the road. I know I’m going to need booze to handle some of those people, so we need to get there early. I need at least two shots before the dinner even starts, so there’s no way I’m missing out on the cocktail hour. I’m taking full advantage of Ava being with her grandparents for the night,” she informs us.
Jeremy wraps her up in his arms, planting his hands firmly on her ass and squeezing. He waggles his eyebrows up at us. “I’m taking full advantage, too.”
This time Jace is the one to deliver the Banks-inducing groan. Sierra laughs and gives Jeremy a loud, smacking, obnoxious kiss that leaves a lipstick stain on his mouth. “I know I probably don’t have to say this, but just in case, don’t bother coming back here tonight, Lexi. I have big plans for this guy.”
Ignoring her, I grab the brown Coach mini bag I’d splurged on last Christmas because it goes perfectly with my favorite boots. Jace follows and the four of us make our way down to the parking lot, guessing on how some people will have turned out and wondering what teachers will be there.
When we reach the parking lot, he grabs ahold of my elbow and steers me towards his car. I’m thankful we’re driving separately from those two, because I have a feeling they’ll be there until they’re kicked out, seeing as they were two of the most sociable people in their class.
We settle into a comfortable conversation, and it’s not long before we’re pulling into the parking lot of the high school. The lot is full, and I’m suddenly nervous to see so many of these people after such a long time. Getting out of the car, Jace comes around to meet me on the passenger side.
“Ready for this?” he asks, as if he can sense my nerves.
“I think so. It’s just been so long since I’ve seen most of these people. I really don’t feel like spending the next few hours answering questions about what I’ve been up since we moved.”
It’s at that moment that I realize that I’m probably going to be dodging questions about Ty and my life for the entire evening. After having been so apprehensive about being in the same room with Mallory, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.
“Hey, what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Jace asks me.
I sigh before answering him. “Until now, I hadn’t even given any thought to anyone asking me about Ty or my personal life if they didn’t know about him. I’m not looking forward to repeatedly having to declare that, yes, Lexi Sullivan was a widow by age twenty-six.”
He places his hand on the back of my neck and draws me into his chest. He kisses me softly on the forehead before leaning away from me to look at my face.
“We can leave if you want. There’s no one in there that I care enough about to put you in that situation. I feel like an ass for not thinking about it sooner,” he tells me, making my heart smile knowing he’d skip out on his reunion just because I may be too chicken to face it.
I shake my head. “I love that you’d do that for me, but I’ll be fine. I’ve had plenty of practice dodging questions about it for the past year and a half, so I think I can handle it. Plus, they’ll probably be more interested in the fact that we’re here together anyways.”
“You’re probably right. Well, hey, why don’t we make a deal?”
I look at him suspiciously. “I don’t think so. My being here is a result of one of your deals.”
He grins and I can’t help but wish I was kissing the dimple that forms every time he smiles at me. This man could make even the iciest of queens melt with just one look.
“Hear me out. I think you’ll go for it.” He pauses, and I wait for him to continue. “Our conversations have gotten pretty heavy over the past two nights. What do you say that we forget all of that stuff for tonight? Set aside the last ten years and just be Jace and Alexa, the way we were that last time we were here together. We can have a good time, at least for this last night, and not worry about anything else but being here together.”
The thought of forgetting about everything else for the night is a very pleasant one, so I’m quick to accept.
“I think your deal sounds perfect. I’m all on board for just enjoying ourselves. But can I add to our deal?” I ask, and he nods. “Don’t mention that it’s our last night again. That’s something I don’t want to think about right now.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he agrees, holding his hand out as if to shake on it.
I place my hand in his, and in seconds I find myself pressed up against his chest, my head tilted back and Jace’s mouth on mine, his tongue invading my mouth with a heated urgency I wasn’t expecting. I’m wrapped up in his embrace as I return the kiss with as much fire as he’s giving me. Placing my hands around his neck, I try to get as close to him as possible. All of the sudden, he lifts me off the ground and I’m being set down on the hood of his car. He settles in between my legs and pulls me closer so that we’re touching, and I’m anticipating this contact as much as I did t
he day before on the kitchen counter. Before he can deepen the kiss any further, we’re interrupted by a surprised voice.
“Holy shit, is that…?”
“Dude, it is! It’s McAllister and Lexi Sullivan. About damn time, you two!”
He groans before giving me one last quick kiss on the lips. I glance around to see Andre Jensen and Carson Fredericks walking towards us. I try to scramble off of the car, but Jace does nothing to get us out of our compromising position.
Andre’s grinning widely at us as he approaches. He slaps Jace on the shoulder and leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek. As the shortstop who always started right next to Jace, we hung out a lot back in high school. Carson, the pitcher, was always the quiet one who hung back from the crowd. I notice he’s doing the same thing now, so I make it a point to greet him.
“I cannot believe you two are here together, man. We all had bets on how long it would take you two to get together, and I’m guessing now that Mallory’s the winner by default because she always said never.”
“This is the second time today I’ve heard about that stupid bet,” Jace groans and I look at him, puzzled. “Apparently y’all had nothing better to do back then.”
Andre just laughs before turning his attention towards me. “I’m glad you could make it down, Lexi. We’ll catch up inside, okay?” he says, giving me an intent look that lets me know we’ll be doing just that, although I’m not sure why he’s insistent on it.
With that, Andre and Carson head inside, and Jace turns back towards me with a sexy smile on his face.
“So what was that for? Do you enjoy mauling innocent women in the parking lot?” I tease.
He leans down and nibbles on my earlobe before whispering in my ear. “You’re forgetting yourself, babe. I was the first to ever know you as anything but innocent. I know just how dirty you can get.”
Trembling as his hot breath flows over my ear, I pull back so I can look him in the eyes. “And you’re forgetting yourself, Jace McAllister. I’ve come a long way from being that shaking teenage girl on the beach. You have no idea how dirty I like it.”
With that, I slide off of the hood and start making my way towards the gym where the reunion is being held. I’m only a few feet from the door when Jace’s arms are sliding around my waist. He hauls me back against him and I can feel the hardness pressing against his jeans.
Turning me around, he backs me up against the wall outside of the field house. He places his left hand on the side of my head and uses his right to lift my chin so that I’m looking at him.
“I should’ve spent years kissing you in this parking lot, so I have a lot of time to make up for. That’s what that was about. And the fact that you’re so damned irresistible in your little white dress, those cowgirl boots that are hiding the defined calf muscles I can’t wait to run my tongue over, and your neck. God, woman, don’t even get me started on the things that I want to do to your slender, bare neck,” he says, running his index finger from jaw down my neck.
I’m so turned on at his words that I’m half tempted to tell him to take me to the locker rooms to show me what he wishes he’d have done all those years ago. Now I know why the sexy vixens in romance novels love to go sans panties. What’s the point when the hot, swoon-worthy male says things that instantly dampen them? I may as well take them off and throw them in the trash, and I contemplate doing just that. Fortunately, the idea of him ripping them off of me later wins out, so I keep them on and clench my thighs together instead.
I pull myself together and glance at his watch. “If I’m doing my math correctly, you’ve got eighteen hours until I need to be at the airport. Better make them worth it.” I wink at him.
“Oh, I plan to make good use of every single minute. But first things first. Let’s get this part over with,” he says, grabbing my hand and leading me towards the door.
Entering the gym, we head straight for the bar to grab a drink. Unsurprisingly, we find Sierra and Jeremy there.
“Look, y’all! It’s Jace and Lexi. Cheers to Jexi!” Sierra exclaims, holding her shot up in the air before downing it.
Jace orders us both drinks before shooting her a strange look. “Jexi?”
Jeremy rolls his eyes as Sierra explains, waving her arm in between Jace and me. “You know, your and Lexi’s names combined. Like Brangelina or Bennifer. You’re Jexi!”
Thankfully, she’s interrupted as a few of their classmates walk up and everyone starts to catch up. I’m on the sidelines, sipping my drink, just taking in all the conversation. It’s actually much easier to stay on the outskirts, nodding when appropriate and smiling as needed.
Cocktail hour is passing by quickly, and I’m already feeling a slight buzz from the two glasses of red wine I’ve had. I know I need to slow it down, so the next time I go to the bar I order a water to sip along with my wine. I’m about to head back over to where Jace is swapping war stories when Andre strolls up to the bar.
After ordering a beer, he turns towards me, taking a drink before speaking. He slowly lets out a deep breath, and I have no idea what he’s about to say, so I take a sip of my wine as I wait for him to talk.
“First, I’m really sorry about what happened with your husband. I know I didn’t know the guy, but no one deserves to lose their significant other at such a young age,” he says quietly, and I’m reminded that he also lost his girlfriend, Ashlyn, in a car accident his senior year of high school.
I smile softly and touch his arm. “Thanks, Dre. That means a lot. I think if anyone could understand, it’d be you. I appreciate it.”
“I still think about her from time to time. I don’t think you ever really forget someone you love when they’re taken from you so unexpectedly.”
I nod in agreement, completely understanding of the fact that it still crosses his mind.
“That being said, I’m going to say this and then I’ll leave it alone. I don’t know what happened between you two back then, but that guy was completely head over heels for you. He was a mess when he came back on leave and you were gone. Keeping in touch with him, I know he’s never moved on, as he’s jumped from superficial relationship to superficial relationship,” I start to protest when he holds his finger up to silence me. “Lexi, I also know what it’s like to lose a loved one out of nowhere. I’m just saying… Be careful. Don’t lead him on. Take it from my experience. You need to be honest to God one hundred percent ready to move on before you let someone else into your heart.”
I want to be offended at his implications, but I can understand and appreciate the concern he has for his friend.
“Look, I can’t possibly tell you what’s going to happen with us. What I can tell you is that I’ve been happier in the last two days than I have been in a long time. After the accident, I was numb. For months I was a shell of myself, and I can admit, there were many nights that I drank myself to sleep. Eventually, I was able to pick myself up, but to be honest, I never, not in a million years, ever thought about giving my heart away again. Being here with Jace is different. It probably sounds stupid, but it just feels right…natural, like nothing’s ever changed.”
Before Andre can respond, Jace joins us, asking him about his family. Apparently, Andre wasn’t joking when he said they’d kept in touch, because they’re both talking as if they’ve not just spent the last decade in totally different parts of the world. Before he moves away from us, Andre gives me a nod and a small smile as his eyes flick between Jace and me.
We spend the new two hours mingling with his old classmates while enjoying the buffet dinner provided by the reunion committee. I’m lucky enough to avoid most conversations, as Sierra’s thankfully stolen the show. I spot Jace catching up with a few of his old baseball buddies, so I grab another glass of wine and go outside to get some fresh air.
I’M IN the middle of listening to Luke Davis tell Andre and me about a short stint playing minor league baseball. Sierra interrupts us to give both of the guys big hugs, effectively killing the convers
ation. I realize that Alexa’s not with her, so I take a quick scan of the room to find her.
“Sierra, have you seen your sister?” I ask, wondering where she could be.
“I haven’t seen her in about half an hour. Jeremy and I were out reminiscing on the football field,” she confesses, shooting me a wink.
Shaking my head, I excuse myself from the group so I can find my date. I don’t see her anywhere in the gym, so I head outside, thinking that maybe she needed a break. Walking out the doors, I spot her sitting on the edge of the curb, leaning against a light post. Her head’s tilted back and her eyes are closed. She looks peaceful, and with the light illuminating her, she looks like the seventeen-year-old version of herself I used to meet every day in this very spot.
I move towards her, and she must hear me because she opens her eyes and peeks up at me. Holding out my hand, I pull her to her feet. Immediately wrapping my arms around her, I lean down to plant a kiss on her lips. She tastes like strawberries and red wine, a sensual combination that’s doing nothing to help the growing anticipation of finally having her in my bed tonight.
“Hiding out?” I question.
She shrugs before answering me. “Not really. It actually hasn’t been that bad. I’ve pretty much just let everyone else fill me in on their lives, and then Sierra’s there to entertain them with stories about Jeremy and Ava. No one’s even brought him up.”