Page 42 of Purr For Me
Tom’s forehead furrowed as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. “He took you to a soup kitchen for your first date?”
The mixture of disbelief and anger on Tom’s face was priceless, and Lexie couldn’t hold back a laugh.
Tom’s expression relaxed into a smile. “Okay, you got me. Ha ha. Where did he really take you?”
“Oh, that’s where he really took me. He surprised me and showed me a different side. He said it would help me think about something else besides Jason, and he was right.”
Confusion filled Tom’s eyes. “So, you ended up enjoying it?”
“Yeah. I thought he was crazy or being condescending, but he’s actually very perceptive and knew it would work.”
“I see. And you saw him a few times since then.”
Lexie rubbed her hands nervously over her thighs. “That’s right.”
“Okay. What were you doing at his gym this morning?”
“He invited me to watch him box. It was a lot of fun, and he’s really good.”
Tom picked up a pen and toyed with it. “Do you like him? Like, romantically?”
Their heated embraces rose in Lexie’s mind, and warmth rushed through her body. “Uh, yeah… I think I do.”
A doubt-filled smile crossed Tom's face. “Are you sure? I mean, doesn’t it bother you he’s Jason’s brother?”
“Yes. It’s strange, but I think I deserve a bit of happiness, and Kade is making me happy.” Lexie sighed. “Looking back, I see now that I always had to be the responsible one while Jason had fun and got famous. It’s like I was his shadow. Towards the end, he treated me more like an inconvenient employee and took it for granted I was willing to accept whatever crumbs of affection he decided to give me.”
Tom’s right fist tightened around his pen. “I’d like to beat him senseless for the way he treated you.”
Lexie would love to see that, but her bitterness was fading. Maybe that was because of Kade’s positive opinion of her. It seemed to have taken root and bolstered her self-esteem. Thanks to him, she was seeing that Jason was the unworthy one, not her.
“I appreciate that, but I’m trying to let go of my anger. I don’t want him to have that kind of control over me anymore. And he’s sick. Addiction is an illness.”
“You’re always too forgiving, that’s why you stayed with him for far too long. Are you sure that jumping into a relationship with Kade is a good idea?”
“I left Jason over nine months ago but really the relationship was over well before that.” Lexie’s gaze was unflinching. “I’ve learned my lesson where men are concerned. I’m taking this slow, just testing the waters. I won’t get in over my head. I’m happy to wait until Jason signs the divorce papers. But I need Kade’s help, and I like who I am when I’m around him.”
Tom rested a hand on her forearm. “I’m glad to hear it. I know you’re tough and capable, but I’m your friend, and I can’t help worrying about you.”
Lexie covered his hand and squeezed it. “I know, and I love you for it.”
The right side of Tom’s mouth lifted in a half-smile. “Right back at ya. Okay. Guess we better get back to it.”
Lexie stood. “Agreed. I can’t wait to finish painting Kade’s car. The undercoat is on but drying. In the meantime, I have some other stuff to do. See ya, boss.”
She heard Tom chuckle as she left the office. It felt good to have confided in Tom, and she was glad that he hadn’t gotten overly protective like he sometimes did. She appreciated his concern and loyalty, but she had to stand on her own two feet.
As she went to the locker room to change, her thoughts turned from her best friend to the man she’d left recently at the gym. Kade’s charming smile and laugh were fresh in her mind, as were the passionate moments they’d shared before she’d left the gym.
Kade had pulled her into a storage closet in the hallway leading to the backdoor. The fire in his eyes had made her think she was in for some heated kissing, but Kade had surprised her. His assault had been slow, thorough, and devastating. She’d responded in kind, exploring his mouth and winding her arms around his neck.
By the time they’d broken apart, both of them were breathing heavy. Need had hummed through her body and she’d had to dig down deep to find the strength to stop. If she hadn’t, she knew they would’ve had sex in that closet.
She wanted the first time with Kade to be perfect, and she wanted to be single—her divorce complete.
Just thinking about it created an ache within Lexie as she put on her overalls. She closed her locker door and leaned her face against the cold metal for a few moments, attempting to cool her inner fire. Then she took a deep breath and pulled herself together. She had work to do, and standing around thinking about Kade wasn’t getting it done.
Lexie shifted her mind into work mode and headed for her mechanics bay.
