Page 1 of We Never Kissed

Chapter 1

Alex

I trailed behind Lauren, her long legs balanced atop four-inch, deal-sealing black stilettos, as she glided behind the maître d’. I caught the scent of something flowery coming from her silky blond hair as it bounced on her bare back like drizzle on a windshield. She’d definitely made an effort. Maybe too much of an effort, considering how hard I’d tried to get a yes from her. The back of her dress was low cut, with enough skin showing for a craps table. But her beauty wasn’t the only thing that had attracted me to Lauren in the first place. It was her intelligence, confidence, an air of genuineness that seemed to hint that she’d have no problem giving you a smile or the finger—depending on which appliedmore.

I let the host pull out her chair—only because he’d beaten me to it—and watched her gleam a fresh smile in thanks as she sat. Appreciative—I like that.

I secured the seat across from her, leaned back in my chair, and took in her beauty: smooth skin the color of damp sand, dark blue eyes blanketed in long thick lashes. The perfect woman for any man. So, why did I have to fight the urge to stare right through her as if she were a newly cleaned window? Why had she lost my attention in an instant?Because your thoughts keep going back toher, idiot. At least I’d thought it was her when I saw her in the airport earlier today. Even though it had been more than a year since I’d last laid eyes on Ava, I thought if she was coming home she’d at least give me a heads up. A text or something.

When the maître d’ walked away, Lauren set down the menu he’d handed her. She folded her arms, leaned back in her chair, and stared right back, releasing a glare I could tell spelled trouble. “Well?” she said, brows raised.

I blinked, unprepared, and produced the best faux grin I could come up with. “What?”

“You didn’t say anything about my appearance when you picked me up, you were practically mute in the car, and now it’s like you’re not even here. Are you not the same guy who gave me the full-court press just to get me togo out with you?Best night of my life? Or was that all bullshit?”

I could ignore the fact that Lauren instantly made this about her. Partly because she was damn right. I was acting like an ass. But that didn’t erase the fact that I’d thought Lauren was everything I wanted, and now that I had her with me, something just felt…off. That wasn’t her fault, though, so I leaned forward, noted the bumps on her exposed arms, and ran a hand down one of them. My eyes locked onto her gaze. “You look chilly. Let me get them to turn the air down.”

Her expression softened at that, a sexy smirk materializing. “I’m fine. Feeling warmer already.”

I grinned from the realization that it was just that easy to win her back.But is that what I really want? We both knew this wasn’t anything long-term, and now was not the time for life affirmations, anyway. I’d made a commitment, and I damn well needed to make this night special for Lauren. She deserved at least that much.

With my menu closed in front of me, I watched Lauren pick hers back up and scan the page. She glanced up at me from time to time, appreciating the attention. “You on a diet?” she asked after closing her menu.

“No.” I paused. “I already know what I want,” I said, laying on the baritone for her.

It seemed to please her, and she let out a soft giggle. “So do I.”

Eyes connected with hers, I was the first to break from the moment, turning to practicality. “Whatever you’d like,” I said, then glanced around for the waiter.

We started with a bottle of pinot and a seared ahi appetizer, and I was finally able to relax some. Throughout the meal, we talked mostly about Lauren’s job at a law firm. She shared her frustrations about being bored, uninspired, and feeling stuck under the glass ceiling of her traditionally male-dominated firm. “It’s either a wedding or a new career, and I think we both know which one isn’t going to happen anytime soon.” She winked over her glass as she sipped at her wine.

Toward the end of the meal, she asked me about my company and the multi-billion-dollar deal that had been in the works for nearly six months. Of course that wasn’t the reason she accepted my invitation to dinner, she insisted.

During dessert we shared Lauren’s choice of strawberry cheesecake. Seductively, she fed me a bite from her fork and as I savored it, she surprised me with, “So, who is she?”

I swallowed, my gaze never leaving hers. “Excuse me?”

“Come on, Alex.” She grinned and shook her head. My reaction must have been all she needed to confirm hersuspicions. Another bite from the cheesecake, licking a dab of whipped cream from her mouth, was enough time for her to let me stew. “I’m not pissed, really. I can see that you’re putting in the effort. But I know it’s not your work that has you off your game, so the only thing that can cause a man to go so easily from hot to cold all night is the lingering thoughts of another woman.”

“Seriously, Lauren, I…”Damn, I hate lying. Anytime I made an attempt, I ended up sounding like an idiot.

“Don’t even try. Look, I’ll be honest with you first. Maybe that will make it easier. I only said yes to tonight because my other plans fell through. A girls’ night.” She paused to gauge my reaction, then continued. “I was supposed to be in floor seats at the Lakers right now.”

A mix of emotions played through my gut. I’d been in hot pursuit of Lauren for weeks, and this date felt like a big win.Yeah, don’t say that out loud.

“Hey, I’m not saying I wouldn’t have eventually said yes. I mean I am very attracted to you, it’s just—”

“Are you always this brutally honest?” I cut in, even though I knew the answer.

“You know what?” She dug into the cake once again and offered me a bite to which I shook my head. “I don’t have time for anything but.”

Amused—and feeling slightly relieved—I chuckled. “I can see that.”

She set the fork down, grabbed her wine glass, and leaned back in her chair. “So? Who is she?”

I thought for a moment, staring at the amazing woman in front of me, knowing my confession would kill the rest of the night. But if I were honest with myself, it had already flatlined, though I did think Lauren was someone I could be friends with long-term. And I didn’t have too many of those. So, I took a leap. “Her name is Ava.”

“I knew it,” Lauren said, pointing a finger at me in an annoying little-sister manner. “What else? What happened between you two?”

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