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Lex turns to face me and places his index finger under my chin, his gaze keeping me enthralled. Something passes between us, something that makes my heart race. He bites down on his lip, and heat rushes to my cheeks. This man… he’s so effortlessly sexy, and I suspect he knows it.
“Oh yeah?” he murmurs. “Yet somehow, your eyes keep me far more captivated than the starry skies above us ever could. I’m not sure I like how easily you’ve put me under your spell.”
It’s odd, because I’d have mocked any other guy for those same words, yet when he says it, it all sounds so sincere. He almost sounds pained, like I’m an enigma he can’t figure out, when there’s no puzzle he hasn’t solved.
Lex’s hand slips into mine, and he looks over his shoulder as he pulls me along to his open plan kitchen. It’s like he can’t keep his eyes off me for more than a few seconds, and I’ve never experienced anyone being quite sopresentwith me.
“Wine?” he asks as he holds up a bottle that looks incredibly expensive. He opens it before I have a chance to tell him to save it for a special occasion.
“I’d love some,” I answer, my voice soft. Something about being here with him is throwing me off, and I can’t quite tell why. I’m feeling more vulnerable than usual, and the way he keeps making my heart race is unprecedented. No one has ever made me feel this way, and I can’t determine what it is about him that captivates me so.
Oddly enough, I was disappointed when I realized who he was, because I instantly realized that these moments we’re spending together won’t last. Lexington Windsor is someone whose work I’ve admired for years, butLex… he seems like an entirely different person, someone that’s within reach, even if it’s only for an evening. It’s ironic how tonight’s fairytale theme seems to have extended beyond the bar. This night will end, and the magic will disappear.
Lex pours me a glass and pushes it towards me before raising his own. “To spilled shots, truths, dares, and the way they brought us together.”
I tap my glass against his and smile, surprised and entirely delighted by his words. “To honesty, bravery, and serendipity,” I murmur.
Lex’s expression falls briefly, and I can’t quite figure out what I said wrong. “Speaking of shots,” he says, glancing down at his white shirt and the blue stains on it. He undoes the top button before looking up at me from lowered lashes, mischief written all over his face. “I need to throw this in the wash before it stains permanently. Honestly, it’s pretty sticky too. It might actually be too sticky for me to get off all by myself… I may need your help.”
I bite down on my lip to suppress my smile when he grabs my hand and places it over his chest. His heart is racing underneath my palm, and somehow, the feel of it is soothing — it’s reassuring to know he feels this thing between us too.
“Help?” I repeat, a soft giggle escaping my lips. “Like this?” I ask, as I undo a button slowly, loving the way his breath hitches.Something about him makes me act far bolder than I ever have before. He makes me feel comfortable despite my nerves, and I’m not quite sure how he’s managing what no one else ever has before.
“Yeah,” he whispers, his chest rising and falling rapidly as I continue to unbutton his shirt. He leans back against the kitchen counter, his gaze burning, and heat spreads from my cheeks to my entire body as his chest and abs come into view. My fingertips trail over his skin teasingly, and his abs contract underneath my touch, sending a little thrill down my spine.
“Raya,” he groans, sounding pained.
My stomach flutters, and I throw him a shaky smile as I grab his shirt and slide it off his shoulders. He’s breathing hard, and the way he looks at me is so empowering — like there’s no one in the world but me.
“Your turn,” I whisper. “Truth or Dare?”
He grins, looking devastatingly handsome as he leans back against his kitchen counter, my hands still on his shirt. His gaze roams over my face, and he seems to contemplate something for a moment, before shooting me the sweetest smile. “Dare.”
Seven
Lex
“Dance with me,” she whispers, her eyes filled with something that has me breathing a little harder, my heart beating a little wilder. “I dare you to dance with me, Lex.”
I grin at her and shrug out of my shirt fully before reaching for my phone. Raya’s eyes widen just a touch as music begins to play, and she smiles when I offer her my hand. The way she can’t quite keep her eyes off my bare chest makes me feel like I’m on top of the world, and for once, I cast aside my usual desire for control, opting for spontaneity instead. It’s the first time in years I’ve done anything like this, and I forgot how good it can feel to let go, to see where the night takes us without fixed plans to guide us.
I’ve watched her all night, and I haven’t noticed even the slightest hint of insincerity. She doesn’t seem impressed with the splendor of my penthouse as much as the view and myabs, and fuck if it doesn’t give me hope. If she truly is who she’s pretending to be, she’s my every dream come true.
Raya’s free hand slides up my chest and around the back of my neck, and I pull her closer, falling into step with her. She grins when I raise a brow, impressed by her footwork. “You know how to dance the foxtrot?”
She tilts her head in a cutesy way, a sheepish smile on her face. “It’s because of my parents,” she tells me. “It’s their dance, and when I was younger, my dad spent countless afternoons getting his toes stomped on as he taught me the steps.”
My heart races as we turn, dancing through my penthouse, perfectly in sync. We’re not leaning back like we’re supposed to, nor are our arm placements correct, but our steps are perfectly aligned. Our version is more intimate, more romantic. “I’d better make sure I remember to thank your father for his grand sacrifice someday,” I tell her, smiling, even as a pang of longing settles deep in my chest. I had my grandfather, and I’ll always be grateful he was there for me, but I’d give the world for an opportunity to make memories with my parents. Would they dance together the way Raya tells me her parents do? I’d like to think so.
Raya tilts her head to the side just a touch — a move I’ve come to associate with her not taking me seriously and thinking I’m just being flirtatious. If only she knew I meant every word.
Her hair sways as we turn, andfuck. Her face is lit up by the moonlight shining in through the window, and the way she looks up at me with that look in her eyes… surreal. “You’re beautiful, Raya. Fucking breathtaking.” The words leave my lips without conscious thought, needing to be said, my will be damned. Every minute I spend with her just makes my resolve weaken more. I was supposed to figure her out so I could stay ten steps ahead of her, but fuck, she’s got me dancing around in circles with a smile on my face.
Raya blushes and misses a step, her eyes wide. I smile and pull her closer, the two of us coming to a standstill in my livingroom. I’ve never felt quite this flustered. With each passing second, I second-guess myself more. Will this all fall apart when she realizes that me running into her wasn’t a coincidence? The way she toasted tohonesty, instead of truths or dares, wasn’t lost on me.
I cup her face with my free hand, tipping her head up towards mine. God, I hope my intuition is right this time. I hope this is all as real as I think it is. Please, don’t let this become another moment I’ll regret, another occasion when indulging in spontaneity ends up costing me.
Raya draws a shaky breath, her gaze roaming over my face, like she’s trying to assess my sincerity. Her eyes pause on my lips, and she tilts her face just a little, the same need I’m feeling mirrored in her eyes.
