Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(82)

"Well there's the pier," he said gesturing out to the beach just ahead of them. "So not much longer."

"Are we going to the pier?" she asked her mouth drying out and her stomach dropping. Going to the pier would not be a good idea. She didn't care how much distance was between her and that pier, it still brought back memories. Memories that she couldn't afford to have right now. She couldn't think about that…not when she was with Ramsey. Not after she had just told him that she loved it. There would be something intrinsically wrong about going there after that.

"Did you want to?" Ramsey asked eyeing her carefully.

"Uh…"

"I mean I wasn't planning on it, but if you'd rather we stop by…"

"No," she stated quickly. "The sidewalk is fine. Let's take a walk on the beach tomorrow night. I don't want to sidetrack your plans anymore than I already have."

Ramsey stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pulled her into him. "Please feel free to sidetrack my plans anytime you want," he told her kissing her breathlessly.

Lexi leaned into him letting the rest of the world fall away from her. She didn't care that they were in the middle of the sidewalk in open view to whoever walked or drove by. She just wanted his lips on her. When he pulled away, her eyes lightly fluttered open. "Maybe we should go back to the bedroom," she murmured playfully dragging him back the direction they came.

Of course, she didn't budge him one inch. He towered over her tiny frame. He scooped her up in his muscled arms and began carrying her towards their destination. "Ramsey," she cried kicking her legs out. "Put me down. Oh my God, anyone could see."

"I don't care," he said twirling her around once.

She giggled. "Come on. Put me down," she crowed.

"Alright alright," he said placing her gently back down on her feet. "But look we move a lot faster without your tiny steps."

"Hey, don't be mean to my tiny steps," she pouted.

"Never," he said grabbing her hand once more. "But we're almost there." He pointed ahead to a beach side bar with a large sign overhead that ready Shades.

"You're bringing me to a bar?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"Not just any bar," he told her nearly dragging her forward with excitement.

"Alright alright, slow down. Tiny steps remember," she said nearly jogging to catch up with his long strides.

Just as they drew near the bar, Lexi heard someone call Ramsey's name from beachside. The voice was quiet and hesitant, and if Lexi hadn't been walking right past it she was sure she would have missed it. Ramsey, however, seemed not to have heard it.

"Ramsey," Lexi said yanking on his hand. "Someone just called your name."

"Ramsey?" Lexi heard the voice again and turned to face the direction. This time Ramsey heard the voice, and dropped Lexi's hand reflexively. Lexi's eyes narrowed in on the person who emerged from the beach.

Standing in front of her was a girl who, at first glance, was so similar to Lexi in appearance they almost could have been related. Her brown hair was long and wavy, but clearly she put no time into the maintenance of the locks. Beautiful brown eyes stared back at her, but they were slightly tainted by the dark circles under her eyes. Her pouty lips had a light smear of lip gloss across them, and otherwise she was devoid of make-up. The major difference between the two was the contrast in complexion. Where Lexi had a perfectly bronzed tan, this woman had milky white skin with only slight olive undertones. She wore white linen pants and a brown bikini top, and she was absolutely gorgeous.

Lexi was eye level with the girl as she approached, and she couldn't keep her mouth from dropping. She had never met anyone so similar to her. As she drew closer, Lexi realized that her face was shaped a bit different – more round than heart-shaped. Her nose was turned up slightly at the end where Lexi's was just a little button. She had a slender figure, but she was clearly built different than Lexi. She didn't have the lean muscles cultivated from gymnastics, pilates, and dance. Rather, she had an athletic build of a swimmer or soccer player. Though her hair was just about the same length, it didn't have the body and volume Lexi was so accustomed to dealing with.

Despite these differences, the resemblance was uncanny.

"Ramsey, wow, I couldn't believe that was you. What are you doing here?" she asked smiling up into his shell-shocked face.

Lexi hadn't noticed at first that Ramsey looked so surprised, because in fact she had been just as surprised at the sight of this woman. Now as she tore her eyes from the woman, she noticed just how dumbfounded Ramsey appeared. His mouth was hanging slightly open. His eyes were completely focused on the woman in front of him and nothing else. His hands were clenched in fists at his side. She wasn't sure if he was more in shock or anger at the visage before him.

"I…um…I'm on vacation," he said tentatively.

"Oh! I'd almost forgotten that you love these beaches," she said her smile lighting up even further. "It must be nice to get away from the club for awhile and enjoy the sun."

Lexi's head snapped from Ramsey back to the woman in front of him. She knew about the clubs. She knew that he liked these beaches. Who was this woman?

"It is," he agreed gulping hard.