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Outside, double parked, was Luke standing beside his very expensive SUV. I smiled when our eyes met and then he opened the passenger door and I got in, excited for what the night would bring.
Chapter 18
Luke
* * *
Alexa looked … amazing.
I had to pinch myself that she was mine for the night when I saw her in that dress that hugged her very delicious curves. She was built, and she was beautiful. I wondered why she was single and had been for so long. I knew she had recently escaped a bad relationship and didn't feel able to go back to her small-town home, but could that bad relationship have turned her sour on men?
I hoped not. She seemed to enjoy being with me, but to go for a whole year without sex?
I couldn’t imagine it…
"Hello," I said and leaned over, kissing her softly on the lips. "I'm so glad you decided not to throw me over."
She smiled, her expression softening. "I'm glad you asked. I was feeling bad that I'd probably never see you again. In fact," she said when we drove off. "I decided to ignore your text and delete your contact info from my cell so I wouldn't."
"You were really going to delete me?" I said, and made a face of mock horror, although I really did feel badly that she considered it. "I'm crushed."
She glanced away, a smile on her face. "Self-defense. Who needs a broken heart?"
"No one," I said, pulling out into traffic. "We won't break our hearts. We'll just enjoy each other while we can. How does that sound?"
She shrugged. "I'm going to try."
I took her hand. "Look," I said, trying to find the right words. "We've both got plans. You're starting your PhD. I'm planning to sail around the world. We should consider ourselves lucky that we met at all, considering everything. It was fate, I tell you."
"Fate?" she said with a laugh. "It was an accident. A slip of the fingers on your keyboard."
I maneuvered through traffic and drove down Broadway to 8th Avenue and my apartment in Hell's Kitchen.
"Thank God for that slip of my fingers." I turned to her and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad I met you instead of the real Lexxi911."
"But your plans to teach Eric a lesson fell through."
"No, I don't think so. I think we gave enough hints that I knew about his use of Lexxi911 that he got the message, even if it wasn't you. Besides, she's not nearly as pretty as you. Or as smart."
"You flatter me, sir," she said, a hint of protest in her voice but she smiled, hiding it behind her hand.
"I speak the truth," I replied. “After that first night, when I discovered you weren’t Lexxi911, John spent some time searching through his recycling for the piece of paper with Lexxi911's contact info. When he found it, John sent her a PM asking for a pic. She sent him one so I actually saw her. There's no competition. Not in looks and I'm sure not in brains either."
"Plus, I don't sell it." She grinned at me and I felt a surge of affection for her. I liked her. Really liked her…
We arrived at my building and drove into the parking garage. I slipped into my parking spot and hopped out, helping her out of her door. I took her hand and led her up into my building, which was an entire brownstone owned by my family. It had been renovated with top of the line fixtures and had been featured once in the Times real estate section.
"This is amazing…"
I could see the awe in her eyes as we took in the entry, which retained the original dark wood paneling, crown molding and plaster, but which now included all new hardwood flooring, new electrical and pretty much new everything else.
"When I'm with you, I forget how rich your family is. How even more rich you're going to be."
I smiled and closed the door behind me. "It means nothing to me except a way to do what I want. I'm not into possessions as much as what money can free me from – being forced to do work I hate. I'm very lucky and I know it."
We walked through the living room to the great room at the back, complete with a gas fireplace and huge modern chef's kitchen. I was used to the elegance, but I knew Alexa wasn't.
In truth, at that moment, I could be happy being anywhere with Alexa – eating a hotdog in Central Park, getting a pizza slice from a storefront, eating fresh crab cakes at the beach. She was fun, she was smart, and she was real.
