Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(105)

"I think it's a fine party," she responded letting herself relax back into the railing. The afternoon heat hadn't quite subsided as night took over, but still it was better than being surrounded by people right now.

"It would be fine if the guest of honor was inside, but since you're out here I have to disagree, respectfully of course," he said with a charming smile. "So, I came to find the party."

She remembered his easy flirtations the last time she had been around him. He teased every girl in his vicinity and had likely been with just as many. His easy words were nothing to her, but she smiled nonetheless. Every girl enjoys a compliment. "Thank you. Thought I came out here for peace and quiet which I don't think is what you have to offer."

"I can be quiet," he said pushing his lips together with his fingers and leaning his body against the railing beside her. Instead of turning his head out to the lingering sunset, he kept his gaze strictly on her face.

"You're missing it," she said gesturing to the skyline. She feared his answer would be predictable and she couldn't keep from smiling bigger the longer his eyes bore into her.

He shook his head as if to show that he would still remain silent as she had asked. His hand came up and tapped her lightly on the nose. She turned her face back to him in surprise and she watched his eyes roam her face. She knew what he was saying without a word spoken from him. She was the view…not the sunset.

Suddenly, she couldn't hold back any longer and she giggled uncontrollably. His eyebrows knitted together as he attempted to understand the joke.

"You think that's going to work on me? Does that work on other women?" she asked incapable of keeping her giggles to herself.

Brandon gasped and clenched his chest as if wounded. "Of course it works," he said after a minute his cocky smile returning.

"Well not on me," Lexi said rolling her eyes.

"Perhaps," he conceded, "But I almost had you."

"Not a chance," she countered. "Anyway aren't you here with Jessie?"

Brandon rolled his gorgeous blue eyes to the ceiling at that. "That girl is harder to shake off than anyone I've met. Stage five clinger," he muttered reverting to language from Wedding Crashers. "She invited me here yes, but I came more out of spite than anything."

"Ah yes, your dislike of my boyfriend," she said remembering their earlier conversation at Bridges Enterprise.

"And now people actually know you have this claimed boyfriend," he said reminding her of the painfully humiliating day when she had stormed through Bridges as Ramsey's girlfriend who no one knew or acknowledged. "And anyway he dislikes me not the other way around," he said with a nonchalant shrug as if he had the world at his feet.

"Perhaps you deserve it," she said quickly uncertain of the history between them. She wanted to just ask what happened, but she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.

Brandon laughed boisterously at her reply. "He's got you wrapped around his little finger doesn't he? Ramsey Bridges can do no wrong," he said mockingly. "The Golden Boy. I don't know how he does it so easily…and with brilliant women no less."

"What are you talking about?" Lexi snapped quickly becoming serious.

"Oh nothing," he said patting her head like a child. "Don't fret your pretty little head over me. I deserve everything I get right?"

"Brandon what are you going on about?" she demanded more firmly this time.

"I'm afraid love, you'll find out with time. No need for me to spoil your fun."

He clearly knew he had done just that by the look on her face. He laughed again at her anger. "Has anyone ever told you that you're sexy when angry?" he asked leaning forward into her charmingly.

Immediately all emotion lapsed from her face. She had been told more times than she could count just that. A chill went down her spine at the similarities between Brandon and Jack. Yet she didn't feel for Brandon what she had ever felt around Jack. Brandon was just a charmer out for one thing and he seemed pretty successful.

The difference was he wasn't going to succeed with her.

"Have you been with every woman at this party?" she asked abruptly changing the subject.

"You're still up for grabs," he said smirking.

"Besides me!" she cried.

"Enough. The ones that interest me," he allowed.

"And what interests you? Boobs? Butt? Do you even need that?" she asked insulting his good taste.

"That hurts. I'm hitting on you and you have both," he said merrily.

"Well stop hitting on me. You're getting nowhere. Go hit on someone easier because I'm a lost cause," she told him up front.

"But you interest me," he confessed.

"Well I'm spoken for."

"How medieval!" he cried. "Soon you'll be betrothed and all that."

Lexi reflexively gagged at the idea. Not that she was necessarily against it, but all engagements meant to her were heartache, heartbreak, and disappointment. She didn't even want to think about that.

"Ahh…even more interesting. A woman gagging at the thought of marriage," he said intrigued. "That's a new one for me."

Lexi shrugged not wanting to go down that road. "Can you do me a favor?"