by Adams, S. C.
11
Lexi
I grab my third cup of coffee for the day and bring it back to my desk. I set down the cup before slowly and carefully sitting down. I’m still a little sore from Friday night, a fact which left me with a constant reminder of Kane the entire weekend. I take a sip of coffee and blink, trying to keep my eyes alert.
I haven’t slept much the past weekend. On Saturday, Melanie and I stayed up late catching up with some old college friends. I didn’t mention my upcoming date with Kane, knowing Melanie wouldn’t understand.
Hell, I don’t fully understand why I am going on a date with Jason’s doppelganger. It’s plain weird, but at the same time, Kane intrigues me. Not because he looks like Jason but because he isn’t Jason. He’s different than anyone I’ve ever met. And as much as I know I should have turned down his date, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I take another gulp of coffee, thinking about the insomnia I had last night. To be honest, I haven’t slept much since the week of my wedding. I made the excuse that I was too anxious about the wedding when I couldn’t sleep in the days leading up to it. And after the wedding, I couldn’t sleep much because my brain wouldn’t turn off.
The only quality sleep I’d had recently was in Kane’s huge, comfortable bed with his strong arms wrapped around me. Maybe if I had just stayed in Kane’s bed instead of trekking all the way to Morningside Heights in the wee hours of the morning on Friday, I would have finally gotten a full night’s sleep.
But I’d convinced myself that nothing good would come of me waking up to Kane in the morning. I was trying to be smart. I didn’t want to make more of our two nights together than what it was… fantastic sex.
Except now, Kane wants to go on a date. That’s really throwing me for a loop. He wants to pursue more with me? Or are we having dinner under the pretense of going back to his place and fucking our brains out again? If I’m being honest, I’m not totally against that idea…
But I can’t keep being this guy’s play thing either. He’s supposed to be my rebound. How can I move on from Jason if I keep having sex with his double?
The phone rings, and I pick it up.
“Elite Interiors. Lexi Smith speaking,” I answer, still in a daze from thinking about Kane.
“You don’t call your mother back?”
I roll my eyes and sigh. “Sorry, Mom. I’ve been busy.”
“All weekend, Lexi?”
“Yes.”
“With what?”
“I do have a life, Mom.”
“I called you at ten o’clock on Friday night, and you didn’t answer.”
“I went out to happy hour with Melanie, and then I went to bed early,” I fib.
Mom sucks her teeth. “You’re never going to meet a guy like Jason at a dive bar, Lexi Jean.”
I almost snort in laughter. If only she knew I’d met a guy who looks identical to Jason at a dive bar… and a guy who has more money… and a guy who makes my toes curl… and a guy who asked me out for tonight…
I smile to myself, realizing that comparing Kane and Jason is like comparing filet mignon to a hamburger. I can’t even stand the thought or the sight of Jason Peckham, but Kane Jones? He’s all I’ve been thinking about.
“Lexi, are you listening to me?” Mom screeches in annoyance.
I have no idea what she has said as I zone out for the billionth time since meeting Kane.
“Yes, Mom,” I lie. “Stop worrying about me, okay? I don’t need a guy like Jason. In fact, I prefer my guy be nothing like him.”
Mom huffs. “Aside from leaving you at the altar, Jason was perfect. I think you can still work things out with him—”
“Mom, no,” I grit my teeth. “It’s over. I don’t love Jason. And if you really care about me, you’ll realize he didn’t make me happy. He didn’t treat me right.”
Silence fills the line for a moment.
“I didn’t know, Lexi. I guess I should. I just want what’s best for you.”
“I know, Mom. Just back off a little. I’m okay. I’m actually happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
I can’t figure out if what I’m saying is the truth or just something to say to get my mother off my back. What’s even more of a conundrum is whether or not my recent feelings of happiness have to do with Jason being extinguished from my life or Kane entering it.
“I’m happy to hear that,” Mom says. “Want to have lunch tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” I agree.
After hanging up with my mother, Renata slinks over to my desk.
“Ugh, mothers, right?” She rolls her eyes.
“Renata, just butt out, okay?”
She looks startled by my words. I don’t know what has gotten into me lately. I’m feeling empowered this morning. Maybe there is truth to what I told my mother. And maybe Jason and Kane both have a hand in my rebirth.
This is ridiculous! Am I really suddenly okay after everything that happened with Jason? Or am I simply coping by being with Kane? Maybe Kane is the version of Jason that I always wanted him to be.
Ugh. I can’t keep struggling with these thoughts. Maybe Melanie is right. It isn’t healthy to be with someone who looks like my ex. How can I ever get over what Jason did to me this way?
I knew agreeing to this date was a mistake. If it’s just sex, that’s one thing, but if it’s a real date… it wouldn’t be fair to Kane to make him Jason’s stand-in.
12
Kane
Standing outside Angelino’s, I glance down either side of the street to see if Lexi is coming. She’s only five minutes late, but I’ll admit I’m excited and impatient to see her. My phone rings; it’s my father.
“Hey, Dad,” I answer.
“You don’t take the time to call your father back?”
I groan, “I’m sorry. Work’s been crazy and…”
I trail off, knowing my mind has been too preoccupied over the past week to even want to catch up on phone calls. Just then, Lexi pops up in front of me. A big smile spreads across my face. Her curly hair is thrown into an adorable messy bun, showing off her sexy neck.
Her work clothes are more conservative than I’m used to seeing her in, but I love how the belted dress she’s wearing shows off her hourglass figure.
“Dad, I’m going to have to call you back.”
“Of course. When? Next month?”
“I’m sorry,” I laugh at his frustration. “I will call you from work tomorrow. I promise.”
“Fine. I love you, son.”
I smile, “I love you, too.”
When I hang up, Lexi is smiling at me.
“That was so cute,” she coos as she pinches my cheek, making me blush.
I pull her hand off of my face and kiss it. “Don’t make fun of me.”
“I’m not. I was close to my dad, too.”
There is a sadness to Lexi’s voice and her facial expression.
“Was?” I ask gently.
“He died when I was twelve.”
“I’m so sorry, Lexi.” I take her hand and squeeze it.
“Thanks.”
I can see the sadness in her brown eyes. Something inside of me rips apart seeing that look on her face.
“That makes me feel like even more of a jerk for blowing off my dad.”
“You can call him back, I don’t mind,” she says understandingly.
“I think he would call me an idiot for talking to him when I have a beautiful lady standing in front of me,” I wink.
She blushes, and I nod my head toward the pizzeria.
“Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
We step inside Angelino’s and look at the menu on the wall.
“Hello, Mr. Kane,” the owner of Angelino’s greets me.
I shake his hand. “Sal, it’s good to see you. This is Lexi,” I introduce her.
“Bellissima,” he says in his thick Italian accent.
Sal cups his fingers together and kisses them. L
exi blushes.
“Grazie,” she says. “Piacere!”
“You speak Italian?” I ask, surprised.
“Un po,” she laughs, holding her fingers up to show she means a little. “My father was half Italian.”
“That explains this gorgeous hair of yours,” I say, touching the bun on her head lightly.
She giggles. “Mom always said my hair was my worst curse.”
“I think it fits your personality,” I wink at her. “What do you want to eat?” I ask.
“Um…” she hesitates, her eyes looking toward the salad section.
“You’re not getting a salad.”
I place a hand on either side of her head and turn it in the direction of the pizza section.
“What do you want? Not what do you think you should eat,” I emphasize, casually squeezing her ass.
Lexi jumps in surprise and quickly looks behind us to make sure no one witnessed the inappropriate gesture.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” I whisper in her ear.
Her brown eyes look up at me as she tries to fight a blushing smile.
“Pepperoni and extra cheese,” she tells me her order.
I order a large pizza and two sodas before we take a seat in a booth.
“I doubt you eat a lot of pizza,” Lexi remarks, organizing the condiment shakers on the table.
“I’ll take a pizza joint any day over a fancy restaurant,” I argue.
She laughs. “I didn’t mean because of your financial stature. I mean because of your perfect body.”
It’s my turn to blush. “I eat what I want, pretty much. I’m just very active.”
Lexi raises her eyebrows. “Oh, I know…”
We both laugh.
“Out of the bedroom, too,” I wink.
“What are your activities out of the bedroom?” she asks.
“I love running and hiking. I also own a few sports teams that I play in. Basketball and football, mostly.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “You’re a sports nut.”
She isn’t saying so, but my love for sports seems to bother her.
I shrug. “I work too hard not to play hard too. You don’t like sports, I’m guessing?”
“I do like sports, actually. I just don’t understand when some people sit in front of a TV yelling at it and ignore everyone else in the room.”
She’s obviously speaking from experience.
“I’m guessing an old boyfriend?”
She turns uncomfortable and shifts in her seat, but then again, it could be the soreness from the other night causing her to shift. She changes the subject seamlessly.
“Yeah. Did you ever have an old girlfriend who got too absorbed in something? Like that stupid Bachelorette show?”
I laugh, but it’s my turn to be uncomfortable.
“Honestly, I haven’t had a girlfriend since college.”
Lexi looks surprised and tries to respond, but she can’t find something to say.
“I dated the same girl for all four years of college. I loved her, but she dumped me for a guy who had money.”
“What an asshole,” Lexi says, disgusted.
I smile and nod. “Yeah.”
“You didn’t become rich for her, did you?” Lexi wonders.
“Oh God, no,” I laugh. “I mean, it’s great to have money, but I love investing in people’s dreams.”
Lexi is smiling at me, and I laugh. “I probably sound like such a nerd.”
“No, you sound sweet. And I’m sorry college girl didn’t know that she already had a rich man as her boyfriend,” Lexi says, and I know she isn’t talking about money.
It’s probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. I link my fingers with hers and smile. The pizza arrives a moment later, and we both dig in. We continue our conversation as we eat, but it seems like every time I ask something personal, Lexi somehow turns the question on me.
There must be something she’s keeping from me. It should raise a red flag for me, but it doesn’t. My gut instinct tells me that Lexi is worth putting the time and effort into. Whatever secret she has, she’ll tell me when she’s ready.
The image of her with a swollen belly pops into my mind for the second time since I’ve met her. The idea of being a father humbles me. Lexi seems like the type of woman I would want to carry my child. I can tell that she’s a good-hearted person who is sensitive and lighthearted.
After we’re done with dinner, we stroll around the area, hand-in-hand. I like this. I like her… a lot.
“Do you like your job?” I ask after Lexi finishes telling me about some of her annoying clients.
“I love it, but it’s obvious the owners give me the clients they don’t want to deal with. And then, there’s Renata…” She rolls her eyes.
“Who?”
“Renata is one of the administrative assistants. She’s always listening in to my phone calls and butting her nose in where it doesn’t belong. She’s such a gossip whore.”
I laugh and drop her hand, only to drape my arm across her shoulders. I pull her close, and she looks surprised by the intimate gesture.
“Why don’t you start your own company?” I suggest.
She laughs, “You’re cute.”
“Seriously. What’s stopping you?”
“Lack of capital. Lack of balls.”
I chuckle, “I have both of those things. You’re welcome to borrow them.”
She stops walking and moves out of the way of pedestrians walking by. I follow her lead as she leans against the side of a building. I can tell my generous offer has caught her off-guard.
“Thank you for the offer, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting it.”
“I understand,” I nod. “But remember, I’m always interested in investing in someone’s dream. Especially when the dreamer is someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” she asks, a confused look on her face.
“Someone who would never use someone,” I explain.
Lexi swallows as I stare between her eyes and her lips. Our bodies press closely together. I kiss her deeply, and her hands link behind my neck. We stand there making out on Broadway with people passing us by like we’re just another New York City sight.
13
Lexi
After dinner at Angelino’s and dessert at Serendipity 3, Kane and I are strolling through the outer edges of Central Park.
“Let me take you home,” Kane offers after we sit down on a bench.
“That’s sweet, but that’s way too far for you to travel,” I argue.
“At least let me call my car service for you then,” he insists.
“I can take a taxi,” I giggle.
“It’s late. I’d feel better if I can vouch for the driver.”
His protectiveness makes him more attractive. The more I know about Kane Jones, the more I like him. And that worries me. His biggest dislike is users, and that’s exactly what I’ve done with him… I used him to get back at Jason in some way. Even though Jason will never know and probably wouldn’t even care what I did, I still know.
I also used Kane for sex, and here he is standing in front of me being a gentleman.
“You don’t have to do all of this,” I sigh.
“Do all of what?” Kane asks, his blue eyes squinting in confusion.
“Charm me. We had a great couple of hot nights… and tonight was really nice, but…” I start to explain. “But…”
I have a hard time finding the words as Kane looks at me, dumbfounded.
“So, you’re blowing me off,” he says, looking away for a moment and then back at me. “Can I ask why? I thought we had a connection.”
God, this would be easier if he were a jerk or tragic looking. But he has been nothing but wonderful, and all I want to do is kiss him again.
“I don’t normally have sex with strangers,” I sigh.
“I figured that, Lexi. But I’m trying to get to know you… you don’t have to be ashamed that we had se
x the first night. I mean, it’s 2018. We all need to let off some steam,” Kane says with a sexy sideways smile.
A blushing smile sweeps over my face, and I sigh, forgetting why I’m trying to dump this amazing guy in the first place. Maybe it has nothing to do with him looking like Jason. Or the fact that he was supposed to be a one-time indulgence. Maybe I’m having a hard time believing that a man this wonderful wants me.
“I just don’t want either of us to get hurt,” I explain.
Kane puts his hand on the back of my neck and pulls me to his lips. His kiss is soft and sweet.
“I don’t want us to get hurt either, but I can’t stop thinking about you. I like this thing between us too much to just forget about you now.”
I smile at him and press my lips against his. Our kisses are less needy than they usually are. We take our time, allowing our lips to connect over and again. I relish in the intimacy of these kisses as Kane’s hand reaches up to cup my face. As our kisses begin to deepen, my hands go to Kane’s chest, clutching his shirt beneath my fingers. I simply want to melt into his well-sculpted body.
Our lips disconnect, but Kane rests his forehead against mine.
“Tell me you feel it too,” he says.
“I feel it,” I nod, rubbing my lips together.
Kane smiles and runs his thumb over my bottom lip.
“Come to my softball game tomorrow?” he asks.
I smile, “Okay.”
He kisses me again before checking the time.
“It’s getting late, and we both have work in the morning. I’d offer for you to come back to my place… just to sleep if you want, or whatever,” he winks. “But I have a feeling you’ll say no.”
I laugh and nod.
“Let’s take it one step at a time,” I offer. “Besides, I don’t want to trek home in the morning to get ready for work.”
“I understand. I probably could use some make-up sleep anyway,” Kane laughs, referring to our time together the other night.
He calls car service, and I’m impressed with how quickly they arrive.