Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(105)



"Very glad," she agreed allowing his lips fall on hers and savoring the taste of him. In fact, what was going on in her head was how glad she was that she hadn't gone home with Armani Guy, because what she had come home to was nothing compared to what she had found at a club. She applauded herself for her stubborn nature.

"Lex?"

"Yeah?" she mumbled licking her lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she said for the first time allowing herself to tell him how she really felt. Then she got lost in Jack's kiss once more.

* * *

Thanks to my awesome reviewers: Cupid's Psyche (and all her wonderful descriptions and giving away the plot), iris oasis (I really appreciated your review) and PeterMoore (for your patience with me getting chapters up)!

K.A. Linde

Something Special

I used to be a little bit shy

I kept my deepest feelings inside

Speaking up to you about my

Emotions has always been hard

But this just can't wait

Tonight I feel a little bit brave

So I won't let one more day pass without you explaining what we are

- Kelly Clarkson "Don't Let Me Stop You"

* * *

Chapter 17: Present

"Mmm," Jack grumbled holding onto Lexi's waist tightly, "where ya goin?"

Lexi sighed back into his embrace loving the feel of him pressed against her. At the same time, her stomach rolled knowing that she shouldn't be wrapped up in him like she was. She had been lying there half the morning her stomach knotting and unknotting for every thought she had about Jack. They had talked the night away and managed to stay closer to the friend's side of the spectrum, but she knew they couldn't stay there. She knew she didn't want to stay there. Nor did he. In fact, he had been the one that said that he wanted to be with her. Luckily, she had kept her wits about her just long enough to extract his lips from her and tell him she wanted him, but only if she could have all of him.

Yet, it was still nagging at her. If she had really meant that, she would have left last night. She wouldn't have stayed up with him and imbibed a bottle of wine. She wouldn't have woken up this morning with his arms wrapped around her and his body pressed tight against her. He had a girlfriend, and the last thing she wanted him to be doing if they were to try to be together again would be to cheat on her. She shuddered at the thought her throat closing up as she attempted to swallow the bile that had threatened to escape at that image.

"I…I'm going to make some coffee," she whispered attempting to extract his hands from around her middle.

"No. Don't leave me Lex," he begged nuzzling into her neck and trailing light kisses across her skin.

Her body reacted wonderfully to his touch forcing her back to arch and head to lean back. "Jack you can't do that."

"But I wanna," he mumbled obviously still half-asleep. "You taste so good."

She giggled at his slurred speech and attempted to push him away again. That only made him latch on harder to her. "Jack, come on."

"I love it when you talk dirty," he muttered seductively, biting down on her earlobe.

Lexi smacked him playfully on the arm and wiggled out of his embrace. "I'll be right back."

"Don't be too long," he said his face nearly covered by the covers once again.

Lexi trekked out of the room in nothing but her red boy short Victoria's Secret underwear and one of Jack's old band t-shirts that was much too big for her. She padded down the hallway and into the living room. Her eyes roamed the maze of candles displayed around the room and sighed heavily at the memory of last night. She had promised herself she wouldn't do this. Just as importantly, she had promised Chyna that she wouldn't do this to herself again, and it was going to be harder to calm Chyna down than herself. She knew Chyna wouldn't be happy with her, but there wasn't much she could do about the situation right now. All she had to do was wait around and see what would happen. Besides, of course, leaving the apartment and returning home this minute.

But she couldn't do that. She physically was not capable of leaving him like this. Yes, things had happened in their past that kind of made her despise him. Yes, he was as arrogant as they came. Yes, he had a girlfriend who he had been thinking of marrying.

Despite all that, she couldn't leave. She had wanted to be with Jack for so long that the thought of leaving him without finding out if they actually could be would just break her heart all over again. She knew that she had probably given him more chances than anyone else would have bothered with, but those women just didn't understand what she was going through. If they weren't willing to push through the hard times and truly savor the good times, then they didn't understand men at all. Everything wasn't always going to be peachy keen, and Lexi knew that, but she had been around Jack long enough to know how he works. And one thing she knew, the one thing that kept her going through it all, was how she felt about him.

She had never wavered in her affection for him. Six years was a long time to wait for someone. And though times had been trying, Lexi knew deep down that Jack was what she had always wanted. Everything and everyone else had just been a distraction to help her forget him.

Lexi pressed her cold hand to her head hoping to soothe out her concerns. Exhaustion was starting to set in and the last thing she needed was to add a headache to that mix. She fumbled around in her purse until she located her cell phone, then trudged into the kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee.

K.A. Linde's Books