Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(67)

In fact, he annoyed her. Sure he had been there for her moment of weakness, but that didn't mean she liked him. And that certainly didn't mean she wanted Jack to think she was whoring herself out when she was supposed to be visiting him. Not that he had been quite as kind earlier in the evening.

She quickly covered her mouth the dizziness returning. She would not throw up. How humiliating would that be?

"Are you alright?" Ramsey asked concern apparent in his voice. He had just seen her near to tears; there was no way she was going to throw up in front of him. Vulnerability wasn't exactly high on her list of things she liked to show in front of complete strangers. Especially not ones she had just been making out with.

"Fine, thank you," she said hopping down off of the railing and avoiding his gaze. That was quite enough of the affectionate stuff for her today. She would much rather close herself back off. It seemed to work better. It also usually kept her from making out with random guys while her sorta-non-ex-boyfriend was watching. Ugh. She cringed just thinking about it.

As she turned to walk back into his apartment, she found herself wobbling and weaving. She didn't remember drinking quite enough to make her feel so out of control, but perhaps that sexy kiss had something to do with that. No, she wasn't supposed to think about Ramsey's delicious peppermint kisses. That would just get her drunk ass in trouble. And really how much worse could she make her situation?

Just then, her favorite pair of black alligator skin stilettos caught on a nook in one of the wooden planks and sent her toppling to the ground. Ramsey was instantly at her side. Just before she met disaster, he swooped her up into his arms, and cradled her body in a gesture that strongly resembled a tango dip. Her cheeks were burning from a combination of mortified embarrassment, relief, and the fact that he was holding her in such an intimate position. She sucked in a few calming breaths, her eyes remaining locked into his emerald orbs. They were beautiful with flecks of gold spiraling away from the onyx pupils. And how had she missed that he smelled kind of like peppermints too? Peppermints mixed with something uniquely his own. Whatever it was, it was damn addictive. And maybe that was just her damsel-in-distress intoxicated view of the world, but he really was unbelievably good looking. Oh and look, his lips were so close once again.

She smiled coyly almost challenging him. He seemed to take that as confirmation that he could close off lines of communication again, and bent his head down to meet her waiting lips. Lexi was overwhelmed with his touch this time. Apparently, her challenging look had changed his mood, because now he was kissing her with fury and reckless abandon. It was invigorating.

Just as their tongues began to move against each other the back door spun open wide nearly knocking Lexi in the head. Ramsey popped his head up towards the door in surprise, and came close to losing his balance with Lexi in his arms at the unexpected interruption. Lexi let her head loll backwards to get a look at the intruder. Striking blue eyes filled with venom met her own eyes, and she shivered at the sheer amount of malice he was sending off in waves. Ramsey quickly righted her placing a steadying arm across her shoulders. She gulped.

Jack.

Oh Jack.

She hadn't quite realized his infatuation with her when she got angry until that moment. He looked smoking hot. Shit! Her beer goggles were fogging up with how gorgeous he was.

"What's going on out here?" Jack spat through gritted teeth.

"I…uh…" she began.

"Lexi wasn't feeling well. I think she drank too much," Ramsey interjected smoothly. "I thought she could use some fresh air." Ramsey glanced from Jack's furious face to Lexi sheepish grin. She looked like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Something was up between the two of them. He just wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"Hey baby, ready to go?" Bekah asked announcing her presence in the lit doorway. Her bright smile began to fade as the tension in the air hit her. Something was up. She couldn't figure out why this Lexi girl caused commotion everywhere she went. Was it completely necessary to put everyone's emotions on end all the time?

"Um…did I miss something?" Bekah asked her tone concerned.

Ramsey's eyes remained locked on Jack's face. He was really curious to know what was going on between them. Why would he invite Lexi to Atlanta when he quite obviously had feeling for her? Were they having an affair? That just didn't make sense to him. There would be no point in introducing her to Bekah, and keeping up pretenses if that were the case. Bekah was smart enough that she would see straight through them if that were the case. At least, he hoped that she was capable of being an unbiased judge about the whole situation.

No, there must be something more to the situation. Something that Bekah quite possibly knew about. He wanted to know what was going on. While he was stuck under Jack's lethal gaze probably wasn't the best time to start asking questions.

Or maybe he just liked Lexi. There was something so real…so raw about her personality. She didn't hold back. She wasn't afraid to be blunt, to say things that you weren't expecting, to completely ignore someone with wealth and influence. These were not things that people did especially not the people he hung out with. Everyone was so desperate to please him all the time. And much of the time they were only interested in him for his money. Up until their kiss, which he attributed to the compulsive personality he was beginning to become fond of, he hadn't even really thought that Lexi liked him at all. More like she resented him for the very virtues that everyone else flocked to him for having.