She was setting herself up for a fall, a hard one, because she knew there couldn’t be anything with Jace. There just couldn’t. But of course that didn’t stop her from hoping there would be.
Twenty minutes later and there was a knock on her front door. Everything Lexi stilled, but then sped up. She was so nervous, but she knew there was no need to be.
It’s just dinner.
Is it, though?
She shook her head.
Not for you it isn’t.
Taking a deep breath and telling herself this was no different from any other time she saw him was a hell of a lot easier said than done. But she walked to the front door, opened it, and prayed she looked cool and collected even though she felt like she was a wreck inside.
And then there he was, standing on the other side of the door looking like some kind of cowboy that moonlighted as a model. His jeans were faded, broken in, but they were clean and they fit his body to perfection. His plaid shirt was tucked in, and the first few buttons were undone at the collar, showing off the white t-shirt he wore underneath it. The material didn’t obstruct his big, bulging biceps and flat, most definitely chiseled stomach, and she felt her erogenous zones become alive at the thought of what he looked like naked. And then she lifted her gaze to his face, saw the cowboy hat he sported, the slight darkness of scruff along his cheeks, and she braced a hand on the doorframe. Hell, Lexi didn’t even care at the moment if it was painfully obvious she’d been checking him out, because looking at his face showed her he was eyeing her body, as well.
“You made it.” She winced internally at the fact she’d said that out loud. Of course he’d made it. He’d told her what time he’d be here. Stepping aside and looking away because her face felt like it was on fire, she was pleasantly assaulted by the scent of the cologne he wore. It was wild and woodsy, but clean and crisp all in the same breath.
The arousal she felt for Jace wasn’t just on her end, not by the way she saw him looking at her, and the fact she’d seen him sporting a semi hard-on a couple of times. But even if he did want her physically, that didn’t mean he’d want anything else from her, and Lexi wasn’t the one-night stand kind of girl.
But with Jace? I’m sure I’d make an exception.
“No way I would have missed it.” He gave her a half smile that looked damn too tempting and sexy.
She glanced up at him. This tingle traveled through her body, and she shut the door a lot slower than was probably normal.
“Something smells amazing,” he said and faced her fully.
She felt her cheeks heat, felt her pleasure that he seemed pleased wash through her, and she knew there was never going to be a man that made her feel like Jace. He didn’t even have to look her way for her to feel like she was weak-kneed. This was how it had always been, and she knew that no amount of time would change that. Lexi came to understand she’d always have a “thing” for Jace, but she did a really good job of keeping it hidden.
Until now.
“Thank you. I hope you like it.” She moved past him, feeling like she was some kind of awkward teenager who couldn’t look at the much older, extremely attractive man without becoming a stuttering, nervous mess. “Have a seat and I’ll serve you.” The air seemed to change after she spoke, and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
Now standing in the kitchen and facing the stove, Lexi turned and stared at Jace. There he stood, in the doorway, his head slightly downcast, but lifted just enough that she could see his eyes under the brim of his hat. He looked dangerous, like he was a predator and she was a juicy looking piece of meat.
Doesn’t sound so bad to be devoured by a man like him.
Those words played through her head repeatedly, and she felt her face heat once again, knowing her embarrassment was getting out of control, but also knowing there was no trying to stop it. She’d always been this way, and now with Jace standing in her kitchen that anxiousness was kicked up to the nth degree. But Jace still kept his cool, didn’t show any emotions, and she felt like that was the most intense, attractive thing she’d ever seen on a man.
Licking her lips, she reached behind her and grabbed onto the kitchen counter to steady herself. “What would you like to drink?” Lexi was surprised she could even speak, let alone sound normal given how she felt.
“Whatever you have I’ll gladly take.” His voice was deep, thick, and sexy, and the way he looked at her, the step he took toward her, told Lexi there was this underlying meaning behind them. It was then that she realized tonight she might not be able to control herself where Jace was concerned.
Chapter Eight
They’d finished eating half an hour ago, and for that time they’d been drinking coffee and talking. It was nice, comfortable.
“I didn’t think it was supposed to rain tonight,” she said, her head turned toward the window as she watched the rain fall.
Jace could stare at her all day, could get lost in her blue eyes, in the way she bit her bottom lip when she was nervous, pulling at the flesh with her straight white teeth until blood rushed just right below the surface.
His cock was hard, and he felt like a fucking pervert because of it, because of the images in his head and the needs inside him. Shifting on the seat and trying to alleviate the pressure, what he really wanted to do was clear off the table with a sweep of his hand, stand and go over to Lexi, and toss her luscious, glorious ass on the smooth wood. He’d strip her clothes from her, not caring that he tore the material from her body, and in fact growing even more frenzied because of it.
“I love the rain,” she said, her voice soft, her fingers wrapped around a long strand of her hair. Jace wanted to wrap his hand around those strands, wanted to tug at her waves, baring her throat, making her cry out because it felt good but hurt just a little, too.
He didn’t realize the deep sound he heard was actually coming from him, not until Lexi looked over at him, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly parted. He wanted her, and it was like something in him had switched, like his control was slipping away and laughing its ass off as it flipped him off before disappearing.
“Jace?”
The way she said his name had his cock jerking in pleasure.
“Are you okay?” She was breathing heavier, her chest rising, her cleavage showing over the low collar of her shirt.
He glanced down, felt his balls draw up tight, and knew, just fucking knew, he could get off from the sight of her alone. He hadn’t said anything yet, and he was starting to feel like a damn pervert for the fact he couldn’t stop staring at her, couldn’t stop thinking of her. She was just so gorgeous.
“I should go,” he said and stood, knowing she’d be able to see the monster hard-on he was sporting. But adjusting himself would bring it more to her attention. And then he saw her glance down, her eyes widening even further, and should have felt like a sick bastard instead of being even more turned on because of it.
“Um.” She stood, kept her hands in front of her, and he could see she was trying not to stare at his bulging erection. But her nipples were hard, poking through the material of her shirt, and he knew she was aroused. Hell, he swore he could smell how wet she was.
She’ll be soaked for me, so damn wet my dick will slide inside of her so fucking easily I’ll be in to the hilt before I know it.
“You’re sure you want to leave already?” She was twisting her hands in front of her, this nervous look on her face.
Jace felt like an asshole, like he couldn’t control himself so he had to just up and leave. But the truth was if he stayed he might try to kiss her … might try to do other things. He didn’t want to cross that line with her, not when she may not want that. Arousal and actually accepting those kinds of advances were two totally different things. He’d seen arousal on women, knew they found him attractive, but he also read their body language, and could see they wouldn’t have gone home with him if he’d asked.
“I think it would be best, Lexi.” He ran a hand over his hair, glanced out the window at the rain pelting the glass, and felt like a bigger ass just standing here. He grabbed his hat off the table, looked at her once more, and turned to leave the kitchen. Walking away was damn hard, but it was the right thing to do.
Is it?
He stopped at the front door, felt her presence behind him, and turned. “Thank you for the dinner. It was incredible.” He was telling the truth. Pearl made them meals on occasion, but the one Lexi made was different. Not because it was better, but maybe because he felt someone more than this lust for her.
That’s exactly why it’s so different with her, why I feel so fucking different when I just think about her.
“Jace, are you sure everything is okay?”
He cursed internally. He didn’t want her thinking she’d done something wrong, and he sure as fuck didn’t want her to think he was some unhinged asshole. But that’s how this situation was going.
She took a step closer to him, and the scent of lemons came from her, enveloping the air around them.
“If I don’t leave I might do something that you don’t want, Lexi. I don’t want to cross any lines with you.” Jace didn’t know if he’d meant to say those things out loud, but they’d escaped before he could stop himself. Now the words hung between them, the air thick, tense, and his entire body strung tight.