Page 16 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

Chapter Four

Jess

Isat in the trucksandwiched between Alden and Lexi as he raced us back to my place. Tingles erupted, setting off sparks of desire up and down my leg where Alden’s thigh pressed against mine. I bit down on my lip, and pressed my knees together, as I imagined what it’d be like if he stopped the car, yanked me to him, and ravished my lips until I melted against him.

While my hormones raced out of control, I fantasized about rubbing against Alden like a cat in heat, although he was definitely not turned on by the situation. His hard body tensed further each time I slid closer when we hit a bump, his face was unemotional, like a stone mask, and he kept checking the rearview mirror, afraid we might be followed.

He’s worried about my safety and all I could think of was how quickly could I get myself off. My cheeks warmed, and I prayed neither he nor Lexi would ask why.

I needed to think about something else. Like the damn flowers that weren’t from Alden. As much as I protested that I didn’t believe in love, my heart had never forgotten him. And right now it was weeping hysterically, curled up in a ball eating ice cream, and cursing like a sailor at my libido. It was screaming at my hormones to shut it and get a grip.

Alden’s horrified expression quickly filled my mind. My heart’s way of reminding me how one-sided our love once was. A quick stab of pain hit my chest and I rubbed at it knowing that what hurt wasn’t physical.

“Jess?” Lexi asked, a worried expression on her face.

Poor, sweet Lexi hadn’t heard the conversation between Alden and me. She didn’t understand what happened today or even nine years ago. I’d never been able to tell her why Alden and I had really broken up. That he’d never loved me, and our time together was just a fling.

Now that I looked at the flower incident objectively, it was pretty ridiculous I had let myself believe that Alden remembered I associated the Arabian jasmine with us, even more so to think he sent it. It was too expensive to have shipped here. Money Alden didn’t have or wouldn’t choose to spend on me.

I smiled at her. One of my practiced smiles, one I used so often throughout my life that I’d perfected it. “I’m fine, Lexi. It’s just a flower. Probably a secret admirer or something.”

Lexi’s expression didn’t clear. “That doesn’t work on me,” she whispered.

My smile faltered as I faced forward. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her fingers threaded through mine, and her head rested on my shoulder. “I don’t believe you.”

I closed my eyes, hoping to stem any additional questions. Lex trusted easily, and I loved that about her. I wanted her to keep that sense of wonder, that beautiful belief that people were kind and altruistic for as long as she could.

“I know you, Jess. You’re like my big sister. Something is freaking you out. If you don’t want to tell me then don’t, but you have to talk to one of us.”

I gave a tight nod, my cheek rubbing against the top of her head. If I spoke, the tears that burned at the back of my eyes and caused my throat to tighten would burst free.

Jax had been my best, my only, friend for so long it was hard to let other people in. And Lexi, well, she’d been burrowing her way into my life for the last nine years and at this point, she wasn’t going anywhere.

I was damn lucky to have her.

At some point we’d have to come clean to Alden. But the way he looked at me, the way he believed I’d ever put Lexi at risk cut through my still beating heart. It hurt so much I had to remind myself to breathe, to school my features so he had no idea how much he destroyed me with his accusations.

How with only a few words he’d proven how little he trusted me.

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