Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(85)

When the show ended, the surrounding families and groups began to pack up. Lexi sighed finding it strange that she was actually sad that the evening was coming to an end. She began to pull away from him to stand up, but he pulled her back down.

"It's not over yet," he muttered into her ear.

"But everyone's..." she began gesturing to the crowd.

"Just wait a second," he said smiling down at her.

Lexi glanced around hoping to find out what he was talking about. Half of the people were already exiting the lawn and they hadn't even moved yet. She knew it would take awhile to get out of the park and was ready to start the long ride back to his place. If there was more to come, then no one else had been informed. Just as she was about to get up again and tell him that he had been misinformed, a large pop sounded from the mountain.

Lexi's eyes darted up to the sky in terror. Had a gunshot just gone off? Then her eyes brightened as a red firework exploded covering the night sky. Lexi squealed in surprise. There were never fireworks this time of the year. They only ever had fireworks for the week of the Fourth of July. The surrounding crowd had halted their urgent packing to look up at the shimmering colors falling towards the earth. Several more fireworks erupted from their perspective locations producing earsplitting booms and crackling popcorn. Lexi stared on in wonder as more and more fireworks colored the sky.

"I can't believe they did this," she whispered into the night. "I didn't think they normally do fireworks this late in the season."

"They don't."

Lexi shifted her gaze momentarily to stare into Ramsey's shining green eyes. "They don't? You mean...you did this?" she asked putting the pieces together.

He smiled at her cupping her chin in his hands. "I thought you'd like the surprise."

She couldn't do much more than nod before his lips touched hers gently. She knew they had kissed the night before, but she had been drunk at that point and acting without inhibitions. This kiss occurred because she wanted it to. It was gentle and brief, but he sure did taste wonderful. She had no idea how he still tasted of peppermints. She hadn't seen him eat one or anything. When he pulled away, she couldn't help but whimper at the loss of his warmth. He chuckled and placed one more kiss on her lips just as the fireworks displayed ended.

He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on. Now we can go."

"Shouldn't we pack this stuff up?" she asked looking at their feet.

"Nah. I'll have someone take care of it. Let's get you back. I'm sure you're exhausted."

Lexi filtered in and out of consciousness on the ride back to Ramsey's apartment. After the late night she had had the night before, all she felt like doing was sleeping. Her evening with Ramsey had been magical. She had been pleasantly surprised that he was capable of being well...human. She had such a terrible stigma against anyone from a Country Club that she had immediately thought he would be just like everyone else. And though at times, he did play that part, and obviously he had a good deal of wealth, she didn't feel like that was the main part of his character. He was able to be a fun-loving guy who just happened to have money rather than the other way around as she had expected.

"I appreciate you taking me out and letting me stay here the night before," Lexi told him truthfully, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. She followed him up the stairs to the front door. "I guess I should probably get a hotel or something tonight."

He stopped and turned to look at her. "You could come inside if you like."

Lexi gulped not feeling comfortable with the direction of that statement. She wasn't really prepared to take their relationship...or whatever it was to another level. "Uh...I don't think so."

He scratched his head thoughtfully criticizing himself for how that must have come out. "Sorry. No. I didn't mean it to sound like that. I just mean that I have a guest bedroom. If you'd like to just stay here another night, you are more than welcome."

"Oh, well..." She didn't know whether or not to accept the invitation. She was dead tired, and couldn't exactly afford a hotel. "I guess that's alright."

Ramsey veered her towards the guest bedroom on the top floor leaving her to get dressed for the evening. She quickly changed into her own sleeping clothes and brushed her teeth. A soft knock sounded on the door and she quickly pulled it open. Ramsey stood before her in just a pair of athletic shorts. Her eyes traveled to his six pack and then back up. She gulped unsure if she would be able to control herself if he came into the room.

"I just wanted to say a proper good night," he informed her bending his head and crushing their lips together. She breathed him in enjoying every bit of pressure he was exerting onto her lips. She could tell he was trying desperately to keep himself from going further just like she was. She wasn't exactly known for her ability to resist temptations. Her body was still flush against him when he pulled back his breathing ragged and his pupils dilated.

"I...uh," he muttered pulling back a fraction of an inch.

"Yeah," she agreed her own breathing coming out in short puffs.

"You know you never did answer me earlier this evening," he said resting their foreheads together.

"About?"

"Will you accompany me to the birthday festivities?"