Adam stirs a bit and mouths something inaudible before he turns silent and resumes his breathing. Nothing happened, Lexi reminds herself. The threesome was just a one-time thing. Candice and Adam never got intimate with one another.
Regret – she can’t deny it now – that’s the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knows Candice never came in between Adam and her last night. But now that the alcohol’s rubbed off and she’s realized what happened, Lexi doesn’t like the idea of sharing an intimate moment with a stranger. She remembers all the places Candice kissed and sucked her; she remembers the magic of her fingers and her lips. Lexi loves it, but she knows it’s still wrong. Last night was only supposed to be between Adam and her.
Adam’s eyes start to blink open and Lexi feels his arms tighten around her waist. He pulls her closer to her and kisses the top of her forehead.
“Morning, beautiful,” he says, placing a feather-light kiss on her lips. “Hmm…”
Adam starts to nibble on Lexi’s bottom lip, and she sees him smile against her lips. But she can’t. Whatever Adam has planned this morning, she can’t. The knots are still in her stomach, and Lexi knows her insecurity is getting the best of her. She doesn’t want to share Adam with anyone else, especially when it’s something so sexual. She knows this is her personal problem, and she needs to fix it. She slowly pulls away from Adam’s kiss.
“Sorry,” she says, her voice weak. “I need to use the bathroom.”
Then, she leaves the bed and walks over to the restroom. When she closes the door behind her and sits herself on the toilet, she’s trying not to tear up. She hates herself for how selfish, insecure, and dependent on Adam she’s become.
Chapter 8
“We broke up.”
Tonight is the Fashion Saves gala, where high-profile individuals in the world of business and fashion gather together to raise funds for poverty-stricken regions. Lexi almost fell to the floor when Adam told her how much a seat in the ball cost.
“Will the food be made of gold?” she remembers asking Adam a few days ago.
“It’s for charity.” Adam answered then, and that ended the conversation as quickly as it started.
Lexi’s starting to enjoy getting dressed and looking pretty every time there’s a prestigious event Adam invites her to. She can’t deny the fact that she looks forward to what designer she’ll wear, from the clothes to the jewelry. She’ll never buy the pieces, but it’s always fun to dress up as a princess or celebrity for the night. What isn’t fun is bumping into an ex, as is the case with Adam and Yvonne.
Lexi can’t deny that the supermodel is one of the most gorgeous women in the gala. Here ivory satin gown is a scene-stealer, and anyone can see her from a mile away. Not to mention her tall and slender frame makes her stand out from the sea of women who can only dream of having her height.
“Oh…why’d you and Philippe break up?” Adam asks, tone taken aback at the news.
“Nothing dramatic. Our schedules were just too busy we couldn’t really fit a relationship,” Yvonne then says nonchalantly. Lexi presumes she’s over the break-up, and she knows a woman like Yvonne Lacroix can easily snatch a new man with a snap of her fingers.
“Ha,” Adam then says, barking out into a laugh as if he remembers something funny. “That’s almost the same reason we broke up. You were having runway shows in every part of the world, and I couldn’t keep track. I can’t say I’m sad that you and Philippe are broken up. You know how I feel about the guy.”
“Hate’s an understatement,” Yvonne says in reply, matching Adam’s enthusiastic tone. “I remember you used to rant about him back when we were dating. One of the reasons I may have dated him was to spite you.”
There’s a wicked grin on her lips, and Lexi doesn’t know if Yvonne’s being serious or joking.
“Oh, so it wasn’t the private jet?”
“Well, that too…”
The friendly banter carries on, and Lexi suddenly feels like an outsider. She excuses herself for a minute to get a drink, but only walks a few meters away before she stops. She wants to observe Adam and Yvonne from afar, and she doesn’t like what she sees. There are no flirty touches and googly eyes, but anyone can see how seamless and natural Adam and Yvonne act with one another. There’s even laughter in their eyes, and there hasn’t been any awkward silence. Lexi feels deflated, and she wants to mentally kick herself. First, she was jealous of sharing the bedroom with Candice. Now, she doesn’t like seeing Adam talk enthusiastically with another woman.
Lexi takes a glass of red wine before she walks over to the patio. Maybe some fresh air is what she needs to keep the jealous feelings at bay. She starts striking up conversation with a handful of people, but the chat never lasts for more than a few minutes. The caveat with events such as this is the more beneficial you are to a person, the more likely they are to talk to you. After a few pleasantries here and there with Lexi, the person excuses him- or herself and ends the chat.
Lexi knows it’s nothing personal – she isn’t a billionaire or a businesswoman – but her confidence and self-esteem can’t help but take another blow. Being Adam’s personal assistant is a position most people in the company dream of having, but now she feels like she isn’t her own person, that she’s living in his shadow. It doesn’t help that everyone knows she’s his girlfriend, and she knows what everyone’s thinking.
She just got that job because she’s sleeping with him.
“Hey you…” says Adam, coming from behind. Slowly, he snakes an arm around her waist and across her stomach, and Lexi leans her head on his chest. “Why are you hiding out here?”
“Adam…” she starts to say, and he knows nothing good can come out after hearing Lexi say his name in that tone. “I think we need to take a break…”
Lexi feels Adam tighten against her. She feels his chest tense up from behind her head. She feels his hands grasp the side of her waist a little tighter.
“What are you talking about…?”
“I’m sorry…” Then, tears start to stream down Lexi’s face, and she lets her emotions get the best of her. “It’s just…I think I’ve lost myself being with you. You’ve been nothing but wonderful and great, and I can’t ask for a more perfect boyfriend...” Adam stays silent, and he almost feels like his heart is about to plunge to the pit of his stomach. “You’ve been so great that I’ve become completely dependent on you...”
In an instant, Adam’s hands fly up to Lexi’s shoulders, and he turns her around. Now that they’re facing one another, Adam can see the fearful look in Lexi’s eyes, and she can see the disappointment in his.
“So what’s the problem?” he asks, eyebrows furrowing together. There’s a wrinkle on his forehead already; he’s surprised, stressed, and irritated all at the same time.
“I just want to be my own person,” Lexi then says. “The person you fell in love with, the person who didn’t need you but wanted you.”
Adam feels like the wind just got knocked out of him. There’s a tightness in his heart that scares the hell out of him. He can’t shake the feeling off that his heart is about to break into a million pieces any time now.
“No,” he says immediately, unable to go through with the break. “I love you now as much as I loved you then.”
“Adam…”
Before Lexi can say anything more, Adam takes her hand and leads her to the side of the garden opposite the one connected to the patio. There’s no one on this side which helps to keep away prying ears. Even the lamp a few feet away emanates the faintest of glows. The light is almost useless. The guests of the gala can only see their silhouettes. They’re too far away from the party now which is good. They can talk in peace.
Adam and Lexi then take a seat on the wrought-iron bench, but Adam never lets go of her hand.
“Seriously, Lexi,” Adam then says, his voice pained. “You have to come up with a better reason than that. Am I too clingy and demanding? That’s why you want to take a break from me?”
Adam barks out a sinister laugh before he shakes her head. “You’re not using that on me.”
“I’m serious…” Lexi heaves a heavy sight before she speaks again. “Adam…you’ve been nothing but great. You love me and you spoil me too much…and I honestly can’t ask for anything more. You have to trust me when I say it’s myself I need to fix. That time we had a threesome with Candice? I felt sick to my stomach the morning after even if I was the one who asked for it.” Another pause. “You talking with Yvonne a while ago? I knew you two were just being friendly, but I couldn’t shake the jealous feeling off. I still can’t. Can’t you see? You’ve given the world to me, and I’ve made you my whole world. I hope you understand why I need some time alone to fix myself…”
Adam purses his lips together; he’s in deep thought, and the way he bites his bottom lip has Lexi tempted to break her resolve. Waiting for him to speak feels like an eternity, but Lexi just can’t leave the conversation in mid-air. All or nothing. There’s no in between with the two of them.
“Bullshit.” Lexi’s eyes widen at the reply. That she doesn’t expect. “I’m not letting you go. We can give one another space, but were not ‘taking a break’. Fuck that.”
And before Lexi knows what’s happening, Adams pulls her up and onto his lap. As she straddles him, Adam leads her hands atop his shoulders as his cup her face. He pulls Lexi’s head closer to his and starts to nip at her bottom lip. It doesn’t take long before he deepens the kiss, and Lexi matches his eagerness. She kisses and sucks and surprises Adam when she darts her tongue past his lips and begs for entrance. He smiles against the kiss and opens his mouth until their tongues are in a tangle.
Slowly, Adam’s hands travel down from her face to Lexi’s breasts. With the wrap dress hanging loosely around Lexi’s frame, Adam pulls the strap of the dress down Lexi’s shoulders before the bodice pools at her waist. He pulls his lips away from hers and marvels at the sight of Lexi’s breasts out in the open. He’s lost count of how many time he’s seen her naked, but the fact that they’re in a public place adds a level of excitement that increases the sexual tension between them.
“Adam…” Lexi breathes heavily when his lips close around her hardened nipple and starts to suck and nip at it. One of his hands cups her free breast before he starts squeezing and massaging the full mound. “Yes…”
Lexi knows she has to control her moaning. As much as possible, she can’t even make a sound. Heavy and hard breaths emanate from her mouth. She’s so tempted to scream, and Adam’s making it all the more difficult.
When her breasts are a swollen mess of bite marks and red bruises, Lexi cups Adam’s face and pulls his head away from her chest. She gives his lips a quick, hard kiss before her hands fly over to the zipper of his pants. With her impatience getting the best of her, Lexi unzips and unbuttons his slacks in a series of seconds. She pulls his erection out of Adam’s underwear before she spits saliva onto her hand and rubs the sticky liquid along his shaft.
“Fuck.” He clasps his fingers together behind his head and lets his head fall backwards. He closes his eyes, enjoying the feel of Lexi’s hands rubbing his dick.
He opens his eyes when he feels Lexi’s fingers unwrap around his erection. He sees Lexi get off his lap and stand before him. There’s teasing smile on her face as she bends down and pulls her lace panties down her legs. She hooks the panties on her finger before she tosses it onto the grass. Adam’s eyes glaze over with lust. The thought of Lexi walking around the gala without any underwear turns him on more than ever.
Then, Lexi closes the distance between them and straddles his lap. She takes a fistful of her gown as she positions her pussy right above Adam’s dick. As she slowly pushes herself down, she can feel the folds of her pussy enclosing Adam’s groin. She can feel the head of his dick twitch inside her the deeper she goes. When she takes his entirety in, she moves her eyes towards his, and she can’t help but lick her bottom lip in anticipation.
Slowly, Lexi starts to move up and down and up and down, as Adam’s hands tightly grasp her waist. He nips and sucks at her breasts as they jiggle ever-so excitedly right in front of him. As Lexi continues to push in and out, his dick is in euphoria. He’s never had sex in a public place ever before, and doing it with Lexi, someone he loves, makes the whole experience indescribable and irreplaceable even. When he feels his dick twitch inside her, he props two fingers against her clitoris and starts to rub that fold of skin. Up and down and up and down. Liquid soon floods her interior walls, as they bury their heads at the crook of their necks and finish together.
Chapter 9
The deep masculine voice catches Lexi off guard. It takes her a few seconds before she opens her mouth to speak and holds the phone firmly against her ear.
“Good morning, may I please speak to Ms. Alexis Hayes?”
“This is she,” Lexi then answers. “May I know who’s speaking?”
“Hey Alexis,” says the person on the other line. His tone becomes lighter and more enthusiastic. “This is Jack Nicholson from Levi and Strohm Consultants. I’m calling about your application for the marketing associate position.”
The morning after the Fashion Saves gala, Lexi still couldn’t shake off the feeling of being wholly-dependent on Adam. She knew then having sex in public was more of a distraction rather than a solution. Not to say she didn’t enjoy having sex in a garden. That experience is definitely one for the books. Still, it didn’t solve her problems.
That morning after when Adam was brewing coffee for the both of them, she started coming up with ideas on how to resolve her insecurities. That same afternoon, she started applying to a number of jobs online. With her less-than-stellar resume, she honestly didn’t expect anything to come out of the applications. She spoke too soon.
“Oh yes. I saw you had an opening, and the job description suited my skill set,” she says.
“Yes, exactly.” Jack takes a pause before he continues, “That’s why we want to invite you to come in for an interview. Actually, your list of projects impressed us. We want to interview you for a marketing executive position instead. The job entails handling your own accounts and leading a small team. Are you free next week?”
Lexi can feel her eyes widen into saucers and the grin on her face reaching ear to ear. She knows it’s only a preliminary interview, but she wants to jump for joy. This is step one to gaining back her independence and self-esteem – knowing she can impress people with her own skills and talents.
“That sounds interesting,” she says, her voice going a few notches higher than usual. “I’m free to come in Monday, Wednesday, or Friday next week. Anytime in the late afternoon preferably.”
“Great,” Jack then says on the other line. “How about Monday at 4:30 PM? I’ll send you a Google Calendar invite after this call.”
“Monday, 4:30 PM then. Thank you, Mr. Nicholson. I’ll see you then.”
“Jack is fine. See you Alexis.”
When Jack hangs up and Lexi places the phone back in her bag, she can’t stop smiling. There’s no telling if she’ll pass or fail the interview. There’s a bigger possibility that she may not even get the job, especially since they’re interviewing her for a higher position than what she originally applied for. Even though Jack’s impressed with her past projects and responsibilities, that isn’t going to automatically translate into a job offer. Competition is tight, especially with marketing positions, and she knows she has to prepare for the interview. It’s only Thursday and she still has four days before Monday rolls around. That’s more than enough time to practice her interview answers.
“Hey babe…” Adam then says, his head popping out of the doorway. “Can you come in for a second? I need to talk to you regarding my trip next week.”
Lexi nods her head and takes his hand in hers. He closes the door behind them and walks over to his desk at the far end of the room. With the international offices of t
he company scaling at a fast rate, Adam has numerous business trips booked in the coming weeks, and Lexi’s been taking charge of smoothening the holes and cracks in his schedules.
She swallows the heavy gulp in her throat. Adam has no idea that she’s applied to other jobs. She has no plans of telling him about her interview on Monday. It’s not even a sure thing, and they may give the position to someone else more deserving. She only plans to tell Adam when it’s a sure thing. There’s no reason to worry about his reaction…
For now, she tells him about the itinerary she made for his trip to Hong Kong. She made sure to give him enough time for souvenir shopping.
Chapter 10
“I’m always powerless against you,” Lexi says, as she puts her hands at the small of her back. She lets out a chuckle, her eyes looking playfully at Adam.
Adam shakes his head and matches her chuckle with a small grin on his face. He walks closer to her and comes to a kneel as Lexi looks straight at him. There’s amusement dancing in her eyes; she’s excited. With Adam, she’s always learning something new.
Bliss: A Step Brother Romance Page 20