Page 76 of One Little Mistake
“Well, hello to you, too, Jillian. So nice to see you do have manners occasionally.”
“Whatever, Lexi. What do you need?”
“Easton and I will be just fine, but thanks.” Lexi loops her arms through mine and drags me to the back of the store, where I can see a sign for men’s clothing.
As we walk away, I whisper, “Who was that?”
“Just a mean girl who grew up to be a mean woman. She tormented Lanie when we were younger. If Julia or I weren’t around, she could be vicious.”
“You mean not everyone in town has eaten the happy hippy hotcakes?”
She shakes her head as she starts rummaging through the racks. I really don’t care what she chooses, so I stand back and watch her in action. Within minutes she’s pulled about ten outfits, and I remember Preston telling me she was a buyer for a big department store.
“Do you miss your real job? Being a buyer, I mean?”
Lexi freezes with her hand in midair, handing me a pair of jeans. “Uh …” She shakes her head as she stares at the floor. “Sometimes, yeah. I worked so hard for it. Choosing the clothes that dictated Boston fashion used to be my dream job.”
“And now?” I push a little, hoping she’ll keep talking.
“Now I know I don’t want that life in the city. I’m not that girl anymore. Go try these on.”
“Er, here?” I’ve never worn another man’s clothes in my life, and suddenly, I’m more than a little skeeved out. “Are they clean?”
Lexi rolls her beautiful eyes. “Yes, of course they’re clean, you asshat. Go.” She points to a curtain behind me.
“Fine, Locket. You win this round, but the next one’s mine.”
I cannot believe I’m putting on someone else’s pants. I guess I should be happy she’s letting me keep my own underwear. Yuck, I may have thrown up in my mouth a little. After yanking on a pair of Levi’s and a gray Henley, I pull back the curtain.
Lexi turns, and her mouth drops open. I’ve never been self-conscious about anything, but the way she’s looking at me has me checking myself in the mirror.
“What? What’s wrong with it?”
“Jeeeesus. There’s nothing wrong with you. Why the hell do you Heart women get all these thirst traps?” Jillian mutters.
I hadn’t noticed her walk up beside Lexi, and apparently, neither did Lexi.
She tosses a dirty look over her shoulder at Jillian and ushers me back into the dressing room. I’m not sure she even realizes what she’s doing as she pulls the curtain closed around us.
“Something wrong, Locket?” The corner of my lip twitches as I observe her taking me in. She starts at my bare feet and inches her way up my body. When she reaches my eyes, she clamps her mouth closed.
“How the hell can you look so hot in second-hand clothes?”
“Guess the clothes don’t really make the man after all.” I take a step forward, so we’re almost touching. “You think I’m hot?” I say just before my lips land on hers. I kiss her like I’ll never have another chance and hope she doesn’t knee me in the balls.
When she yields to my intrusion, I say a silent prayer, but it’s short lived as Jillian raps on the wall next to us. “Only one person per dressing room.”
Lexi jumps back and hits the wall. Her fingers touch her lips that taste like mine, and I want nothing more than to take her right here. Fuck who hears. Unfortunately, she rips open the curtain and speed walks past Jillian and out the door.
“Fuck.” Glancing around for my wallet, I tell Jillian I’ll take everything. The miserable woman takes forever to check me out, and I know she’s doing it on purpose.
When I get outside, I find her sitting on a bench in the park and I have a flashback to Vegas. She was so happy and carefree there.She was drunk, Easton. I’d give anything to get that girl back, though. Staring at her, huddled in the cold on the park bench, I’m more determined than ever to bring back that girl I got a brief taste of. It will kill me if she doesn’t choose me in the end, but getting Lexi back is more important than my wants and needs.
It’s time to bring Lexi back to life.
I approach her cautiously. Like a caged animal, I don’t know how she’ll attack.
“Hey,” she says without looking up, so I take a seat next to her.
