AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m not, but Chris is standing right behind Lexi listening to everything we’re saying so I thought I’d try to keep the fact that Lexi and that gorgeous man, Linkin, have been doing the nasty for weeks now from his delicate little ears.”
Gasping, I whip around, surprised to find the man I was once married to standing directly behind me. Chris’s face is an ugly shade of red, a look of anger mixed with embarrassment written all over the face I used to love. “Chris,” I choke out. I feel horrible for him overhearing that conversation. Not because he knows that I’ve moved on, but because even though I’m angry and hurt by his betrayal, I don’t want to rub his nose in anything, let alone what is turning into my own happiness.
“Alexis,” he bites out as if my name were a nasty taste of something gross.
“They’re ready for us,” my attorney says, stepping up beside me, essentially cutting off any further communication.
The courtroom isn’t large. Nothing like those you see on TV. In fact, the small room is surprisingly disappointing in regards to what I was expecting. There are a handful of chairs along the back wall, two small tables in the middle of the room, and a judge’s desk up front. Besides the American flag and a printed photo of the Constitution behind the judge, there’s no other décor or markings.
“This is the family courtroom,” my attorney says, leading me to the table to the right. Chris and his attorney take their positions at the table to the left, and we all wait for the judge to enter. Grandma and Grandpa quietly sit behind me, their support having a calming effect on me.
The rest of my time in the courtroom passes in a blur. The judge reads the terms of our divorce, making no amendments to the agreement already signed between Chris and myself. He signs his name on the paper and passes it off to the recorder, who stamps and notarizes the documents that end my marriage.
When we’re dismissed, a new sense of freedom washes over me.
And the first thing I think?
I can’t wait to find Linkin.
“Alexis,” Chris says beside me, his voice quiet and…sad. I’m not prepared for the look of devastation written all over his face. It’s like a kick to the gut, leaving me gasping for breath and dizzy.
I open my mouth to respond, but he holds up his hand.
“I granted you your divorce. I get it. I messed up. But Alexis?” he asks, stepping forward and invading my personal space. Before I can take a step back, he lifts his hand and touches my cheek. “This isn’t over. I love you.”
I’m rendered completely speechless and my grandparents step up beside me. Chris drops his hand, smiles sadly, and turns and walks away.
But is he really walking away?
Uncertainty churns in my stomach like bad Chinese, and I wonder if this is really over. Will he let me go the way I expect him to?
“Ready?” Grandpa asks, placing his familiar hand on my arm.
“Ready,” I choke out before clearing my throat. “Let’s go.”
* * *
I’m eager to see Linkin.
The drive towards Stapleton’s is a quick one and it only takes a few minutes before I find myself pulling into the lot. One of the bay doors is open, a flurry of movement coming from the inside of the shop. When I step out of my car, the sounds of an impact wrench and rock music follows me to the glass door. This time, since it’s during business hours, I’m using the front entrance.
Inside, a man sits behind the counter, a warm smile on his face. I recognize him as the owner, Ernie Stapleton. “How can I help you?”
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. What was I thinking coming here during his work hours?
“Miss?”
“Actually, I was hoping I can speak with Linkin for a quick second,” I say quickly.
“Sure, sure. Wait right here and I’ll grab him,” he replies, hopping up off the stool and walking through the door behind him and into the shop area. “Link! You have a visitor!” he hollers over the tools and music.
I watch as all heads in the garage turn and glance my way. Everyone has seemed to have stopped working and is watching Linkin as he ducks out from under the hood of a car and looks my way. When our eyes meet, even from afar, I feel that same strong, sexual current I always feel. A slow, sexy smile spreads across his gorgeous face, making my dirty mind conjure up all sorts of repeat scenarios starring him and me in that greasy garage.
The sound of his boots as he walks across the concrete floor, along with the beat of my heart, echoes in my ears. The music fades, the murmurs of his coworkers and their judgmental eyes fades, even the gentle hum of the heat in the front office, it all simply withers away the moment he starts to walk my direction. Our gazes are locked, fiery hot with desire, and there’s only one thing I want to do.
No, one thing I need to do.
As soon as he crosses the threshold into the office, I’m moving, plastering myself against his body, throwing my arms around his neck, and pressing my lips firmly to his. The kiss catches him by surprise, but his delay is only a fraction of a second. His tongue pushes against my lips, seeking entrance, as he devours my mouth as if he were a starved man. The kiss is electric, and probably a little bit inappropriate, considering we’re standing in the middle of a business. And thanks to the kiss to end all kisses, I’m too caught up in the moment to even care that I’m making out with Linkin in front of his boss and coworkers.
