Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(148)

"Is there something I can do?" he whispered into the darkness.

She shook her head back and forth. All she needed was to be alone. But she couldn't say that to him. Not after all that he had done for her. Sure he had originally gotten on her nerves, but he hadn't pressured her into anything. And he had been perfectly nice through this whole ordeal. He had even defended her to Jack when he had suspected Jack was going to hurt her. And he had been right. Oh how he had been right. She couldn't be mean to him now not after everything.

At the same time, she couldn't risk bringing another person into her downwards spiral. If Ramsey knew the terrible things Jack had done to both her and Bekah, it wouldn't be pretty.

"Are you sure?" he asked taking a few tentative steps into the room.

"I'm fine," she murmured. It wasn't believable though. She was practically naked sitting in a crumpled heap on his floor looking as if she had been crying. And she had been crying. Normally she didn't look too bad afterwards, but she had rubbed her face so fiercely that it was obvious something had happened to her.

She glanced back up and met his worried gaze. "You don't look fine." He took another step forward.

"Thanks," she muttered sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…" he trailed off.

"I know what you meant."

He cleared the space between them in a quick stride and squatted in front of her. "Please let me make it better. I hate seeing you this way," he whispered affectionately, reaching out and cupping her cheek.

"Then don't look at me," she said pulling herself away from his touch.

"I can't help but look at you."

"Yes you can."

"No I can't," he said leaning in closer. "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on."

"Beauty is only skin deep," she quipped not letting herself get suckered into his sweet talk.

"Not on you."

"You don't even know me."

"And you don't know me. Yet we've gone on two dates and we've kissed. I know you feel something for me. You just don't know what it is yet," he told her sitting next to her on the floor.

Lexi shook her head. "You're right. I don't know you and I don't know what I feel."

"Then let me show you," he said leaning forward and capturing her lips in his own.

Lexi groaned deep in her throat wondering how she had gotten herself into this mess. Here she was going back and forth between two guys. One who she felt some semblance of a spark for, but couldn't allow herself to get involved with. The other she had loved for as long as she had known him and all he did was continue to hurt her over and over again. This, being here right now, was so wrong.

Misreading her groan, Ramsey took this as encouragement and deepened the kiss. He let his tongue slide into her mouth and flick against her tongue. His hands buried themselves into her thick mass of curls pulling her face closer to his. She couldn't stay unresponsive as he expertly maneuvered against her mouth. It was as if some kissing instinct had awakened in her and she tilted her head giving him a better angle.

Her mind was so frazzled from the events of the night, but still she knew this was wrong. "Ramsey," she muttered against his lips.

As soon as it came out of her mouth, she knew he would take it as encouragement. His name had come out breathy and seductive when she had been going for questioning or even angry.

"Mmm," he moaned against her lips letting one hand trail down her neck, across her slight shoulder, gently graze the side of her breast, before resting strongly on her waistline. She couldn't keep her breath from hitching as his large hands staked a claim on her body.

She knew she should cry out and stop him from continuing to show his apparent interest in her. But, even though she knew it was wrong, she truly enjoyed having him adore her like this. Her mind went into overdrive as she thought about how wrong her actions were in that moment. But before she could even push him away, he snuck his arm up under her legs and effortlessly hoisted her into the air. She cried out in surprise breaking away from his mouth. The sweet taste of peppermint lingered on the tip of her tongue.

He carried her to the foot of the bed and gently laid her back against the soft down comforter. She was distinctly aware of her nakedness as she stretched out across the bed. There was so little clothing between them leaving her in a very precarious position. From her angle, she could see the bulge in his boxer briefs growing at the sight of her. She couldn't help but smile at his reaction. Of course, she knew it was the wrong reaction. All she seemed to be doing was sending him wrong signals, but she couldn't help it. Very few women wouldn't have smiled at that moment.

His hands moved forward and clutched onto her hip bones. Then he dipped his head down and began kissing upwards from her navel. Slowly but surely he moved around her belly button, up between the curves of her br**sts, to the base of her neck, across her jaw line, and then, finally, back to her lips. She felt him press against her as he coaxed a reaction out of her tender lips. His hands roamed her body taking in ever curve of her skin. She could feel him urging her on, aching for her body. He interlaced their fingers and pressed her arms above her head leaving her completely vulnerable. He began a slow grind against her never letting up his amazing kisses.