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Chapter Four
Alex
She seemed a little uptight when she arrived, and her cheeks colored more times than I could count with the conversation that Clare and I were having, but that didn’t turn me off. In a way, it was more of a turn-on, because I couldn’t get the fantasy out of my head of her on her back, writhing in pleasure, her cheeks flushed with desire as I stared down at her.
She avoided our conversation, and more than once, I thought she might leave, but she didn’t. Maybe part of her was interested in hearing what we were discussing, and I was enjoying the conversation with Clare. If Lexi hadn’t been right beside her, I might have been interested in taking Clare back to my place to try out some of her suggestions. The problem was that Clare didn’t come close to measuring up to the woman beside her.
I was happy that Jump and Laurie had joined us, and even Lexi seemed to come out of her shell a little bit, chuckling at the conversation and also taking part after the initial introductions.
“Why do they call you Jump?” Clare asked.
He grinned widely. “Because I love to parachute. I’m an adrenaline junkie; just ask my man, Shadow.” He threw his arm over my shoulders.
“Shadow?” Lexi raised a brow and asked teasingly, “What, you afraid of yours or something?”
I chuckled at her as Jump stepped forward, lowering his voice slightly. “No, this man can come and go, and you never even know he’s there until the target is neutralized.”
Her gaze drifted to mine, the humor in them now gone, and something else in its place. “You’re military?”
“Was,” I replied as I tried to figure out why she looked so serious now.
She nodded and turned back to the bar. Jump and I exchanged a glance, and thankfully, Clare was there to answer the unasked question.
“Alexandra lost her brother and boyfriend in the war.” She patted her friend’s shoulder while Jump and I shared another glance. We had lost too many of our friends over there.
“I’m sorry, Alexandra,” I said to her, but she didn’t turn around. Instead, we locked eyes in the mirror, and I saw the stark sadness that I knew too well. I wanted to ask her how long it had been, but she had closed up momentarily, and the conversation around us had already turned to other things.
Clare pulled Lexi back into the conversation, and the three of them discussed a couple new stores in the area while Jump and I began a discussion about my training class. An hour later, we ordered a bunch of appetizers to share, and I purposely remained near her chair. Each time I leaned up to the bar, I had to come to either one side of her or the other. I made sure to brush my arm, or shoulder, or even my hand someplace on her each time.
At one point—she was probably four drinks in—I came around her far side as she laughed about something. We both reached for the same potato skin, and our hands brushed. Her eyes snapped to mine like the current had just zapped through my body, and we got lost in one another’s eyes. Her gaze shifted and slowly drifted over my face, and I remained still, not wanting to scare her off. She might not know it, but I saw the desire igniting inside her eyes. She did find me attractive, even if she pretended not to.
Of course, that could be the alcohol-distorted reality, but even though she had been throwing the drinks back, she held her liquor pretty damn well and didn’t seem overly intoxicated. It was a coin toss as to whether she was interested in me personally, or on the rocks.
It was another two hours, and several more plates of appetizers before Clare glanced at her phone and announced she had to catch the train. I offered to walk her to the station, but she said she’d be fine. Before she left, she pulled me over to the side.
“Can you make sure Lexi gets home? She’s had more to drink than she usually does.”
“No problem,” I told her, and then she gave me a hug and kissed my cheek. Although I wasn’t into Clare, I did really like her and hoped we remained friends.
“It was really great to meet you, Alex.” She glanced back at Lexi, who was finishing her drink. “Don’t give up on her.”
I frowned. Why would Clare think I was interested in her friend in the first place?
She rolled her eyes and smirked. “Don’t even deny it; you’ve been watching her all night.” She glanced at Lexi. “She might not seem into you, but she is. Go for it; she could really use the fun.”
“We’ll see about that,” I told her, and then we said goodbye as Lexi climbed off her stool.
“I should get going, too,” Lexi said. “It was really nice to meet you, Laurie, Jump.” She held her hand out to shake goodbye before she turned to me and muttered, “I’m sure I’ll seeyoulater.”
I laughed and grabbed her arm. “You’ll see me now. I’m walking you home.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. Clare wanted me to make sure you got home safe.”
“I’m an adult. I can take care of myself.” She tossed a wave toward my friends before nailing me with a stern look. “Stay with your friends.”
She walked away quickly, and I turned to Jump, who was grinning, “Go, man! Don’t let that one get away.”
