“I had a facial and—” she stops when her phone rings. “Ms. Jackie,” she says walking away from me.
I watch her walking out of the building. I can tell it’s a conversation she doesn’t want me to hear.
“You got a good one there, sir,” Joe says, and I turn to face him. “You don’t find them like her anymore.” He smiles at me, and I look back at Lexi, who turns to face me, but then quickly looks away. I get the feeling the conversation she’s having isn’t a good one.
“I won’t be letting her go. You will be seeing a lot more of her,” I say, walking out of the building.
“I can look after myself… No… I'll talk to Dan… He’s here and there’s nothing I can do about it, so…” She turns and sees me and stops talking. “Ms. Jackie, can I call you back… Yes… I'll call you later.” She ends the call and puts her phone away.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, would you like some lunch?” She looks around the street. “I thought we could have sushi,” she says with a smile.
“I thought we could pick up from last night.” I close the gap between us. “I don’t want the marks on my back to fade,” I say, slowly licking her neck.
“Last night was the wine, it was all the wine, I—”
“I—what? The marks on my back came from you,” I say, bringing my mouth closer to her ear. “I came in your mouth, and I’m sure the wine wasn’t the reason you let me fuck you…all three times,” I whisper.
“So, sushi?” Lexi moves away from me, making me laugh. If she wants to pretend like it didn't happen, then I'll play her game for now.
“Want to order in, or go out?” I ask her.
“Eat in,” she says walking past me and back into the building, and it’s just what I wanted to hear. Nothing stopping me from a repeat of last night.
Following Lexi in, I take my phone out and call the place I normally get my takeout from. “Food will be here in ten minutes.” I place my hand on Lexi’s back and she jumps, which worries me about what that call was about.
“Great, I’m hungry,” she says as I press the button to the elevator. “Are you going to the penthouse first?”
We step into the elevator, and I press her into the corner as soon as the doors close. “Do you know how much I love it when you show off your legs?” I look at her but she’s not looking at me. “Lexi, you might want to forget last night, but I promise you, I’m never going to forget and I plan on doing it again very soon.” Moving her hair out of the way, I move closer to her neck. “Your scent is so intoxicating.” Placing kisses on her neck, I hear her take in a little gasp.
Lexi bites her bottom lips as the doors open. She wants this as much as I want this. I know it, but I have no idea what's stopping her from taking the next step with me.
The doors open and I pull away from her. Following her into the kitchen, I pour myself a glass of whiskey and stand back just watching her. What's going through her head? What's she thinking about?
She looks through her phone, then dials a number. “Dan, are you free to talk?” She looks over her shoulder at me, then back out of the window. “Yeah, Ms. Jackie called me and told me he’s found me and is here.” I want to know who this he is, and why she has been acting funny since the phone call with Jackie. “I know… Do you want dinner tonight?” she asks. She looks over at me, silently asking if we have plans tonight. I did, and they involved her being naked in my bed, but I don’t own her. She’s her own person and I want her to live her life as normal as possible, so I shake my head to let her know to go ahead and make her plans. “Meet you there.” Ending the call, she looks over at me.
“What time are you leaving?” I ask her, as she walks back over to me.
“About seven. What’s the plan for tomorrow?” she asks, grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge.
Pulling her closer to me, I cage her between my arms. “For starters, I thought I could eat you.” I place my hand on her waist letting my fingers brush her skin.
“I shouldn’t have had sex with you, not even for four million dollars,” she tells me. I grin at her as I take my hand out from under her top. “I’m worth more than that.”
“Worth so much more.” Bringing my lips to her ear, I nibble on her earlobe and whisper, “I'll burn the contract if you say you will go on a date with me.” I kiss her jaw. “I want you in my bed.” She moans as I move my lips to her neck. “You want me just as much as I want you,” I mumble as I kiss the soft spot between her neck and collarbone, my hand slowly moving up her body.
“No, I don’t.”
Pulling away from her, I look in her eyes. “You do, too. Your eyes are begging me—your heart is beating harder because you’re excited.” I slowly brush my finger across her waist and stop just above her button of her shorts. “And, if I touch you here, I’d bet my whole bank account you would be wet.”
She smiles when there's a knock on the door. “Ethan.” I turn around to face her. “It never hurts to say please,” she says then walks away.
I look at her for a moment. The word ‘please’ leaves her lips like it’s important to her. Something is happening to her; something she doesn’t think is important enough to share with me. I’m going to call Jackie for a dinner meeting for tonight. Maybe she can tell me something about what's going on with Lexi.
Chapter 15
Lexi