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“Except for your slobber on my nose,” I joke, wiping it vigorously.
“Oh yeah? Want me to do it again?” His face nears mine, tongue out, and I push him away.
“No! No, please. Gross!”
“My tongue will probably be far better suited for other places.” Instantly, my body grows hot as though he holds the switch. My nipples grow achy, chafing against the confines of my lace bra.
He stands, reaching out a hand for mine. “Let’s go.” His voice dominates all my thoughts as he stares at me with pure hunger. I take hold of him and we climb up the steps, walking hand in hand toward the escalators.
“Lexi?” Someone asks behind me, causing my body to freeze in place. My heart thunders within me, the noise pulsing loudly inside my head. Jax lets go of my hand and turns around to face the source of the voice, while I stay glued to the ground from shock. I never thought I’d hear that voice again, never wanted to, but here he is, ruining my day.
I don’t want him to think he has some kind of effect on me, because that ship has sailed long ago, I’m simply in disbelief that he’s here too. I mean what the hell are the chances of that? I swallow down the nerves buzzing in my throat and face him.
“Aiden.” I keep my tone neutral, not giving him any of my emotions. Those are mine. He gets nothing from me, not the anger that still lives inside from being made a fool of, and definitely not the insecurities that creep out once in a while.
“It’s ah—good to see you, Lex. You look good.” My eyes morph into invisible weapons, wishing they could burn him where he stands.
Jax looks to Aiden then to me and I see when the recognition of Aiden’s name hits him.
I fake a smile, unsure how to respond. The awkward weighty silence grows to an uncomfortable level.
“I’m sorry to be rude.” Aiden finally acknowledges Jax and reaches out his hand. Jax stares at it in pure contempt, then levels his furious glare at him. I inwardly celebrate.That’s my boy.
“Um—yeah I get it,” Aiden remarks, lowering his hand.
“I’m glad you moved on,” he continues, glancing at me again. “You deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks,” I finally say, “I am.” Jax encloses his arm around me and kisses the top of my head. I lean against his chest and grin at Aiden.Yeah asshole, I get to fuck THAT now.
“Well I—ah should go.” He begins to walk away, but then suddenly pauses, twisting around. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I really am.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “You’ll never know how deeply I regret what I did, and not just because you found out.” His lips tighten into a thin line, and then he walks away for good.
Once there’s distance between us, I release the breath I wasn’t aware I was holding.
“Are you all right?” Jax asks, concern on his features.
I circle my arms around the base of his spine, looking up at him. “Yeah, I’m good.” I grin. “Thanks for pretending we were together.”
He kisses my forehead then gazes down at me with breathtaking intensity. It’s like he sees everything I hold inside, all my thoughts laid out. He runs a hand through my hair. “What did you ever see in him?”
“I honestly don’t know anymore.”
The curve of his lips deepens into a smirk. “Good. Let’s go home.”
He entwines our hands and we walk away silently, leaving my past where it belongs.
CHAPTER10
JAX
After the game,we go back to my place in Long Island. I don’t know what she ever saw in that puny motherfucker. Who the hell is he to cheat on someone like her? Must be something wrong with his fucking head. She’s better off, that’s for sure.
I hated seeing her eyes filled with dread—or was it nervousness? I wasn’t sure what I was seeing in them but there was something there and it was pissing me off. Why you ask? Well I don’t fucking know, maybe because he doesn’t deserve her still caring about him at all.
“Do you still love him?” I ask as she slides off her sneakers, placing them in the hallway closet. I don’t know why I care, but some part of me wants to know.
“No, not even a little.” She approaches me and stands close. “I wasn’t upset because I still have feelings for him, it’s just,” she pauses, looking down, clearly overwhelmed with emotion, “seeing him brought out strong feelings of inadequacy in me. I remembered how perfect she was and how I—” She looks up at me, the golden hue of her eyes dimmed from the tears shimmering inside. Her lower lip trembles and tears glide along her soft pink tinged skin. “Ahh, sorry!” She quickly wipes under her lashes. “I don’t know why it still bothers me.”
My damn heart breaks at seeing her so upset. I open my arms. “Come here, baby.” She sags against me and I hold her in my arms. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You hear me? He’s an asshole. Some people are just cheaters. It hadnothingto do with you.” I move back, nudging her chin up with my thumb, peering at a woman who’s still so beautifully broken. We’re so alike in that way, both still wearing the wounds of our past. Maybe that’s what makes her different than all the others, maybe I see in her what I know lives in me, maybe pain is what connects us.
