Page 21 of Loving Lex

“And you’ll find something else,” he said, his face close.

“Wake up, Johnny,” I said softly. “I didn’t get this gig because of my stellar waitressing skills. There is nothing else.”

Sloan didn’t turnme in.

I held my breath while I tiptoed through the rest of the night, and Mariah took over on his room. All I could bank on was that he wouldn’t want the noise, and luckily that gamble paid off. Was part of me secretly hoping I’d get fired and never have to do this job again? Absolutely. Without question. But I needed it, and I hadn’t been joking when I told Lex there was nothing else. Yeah, I had a degree, but it got me nowhere, and growing up like I had did not inspire going out to get odd jobs like other teenagers did. Jobs that gave you life experience to fall back on later, like when you found yourself cut off and your car repossessed.

So, with my looks being the only thing going for me, I needed to suck it up.

Sad that things came to that.

I waited for him this time. After I’d taken off all the makeup and glitter and dressed in shorts and a tank with an old flannel shirt left open, I walked to the back door where I saw his truck parked, and waited.

Within ten minutes, as the trickle of employees departed, Lex appeared in the hallway. I had to dig my nails into my palms as his smile lit up my insides like a volcano. Jesus.

It felt good to know I had a friend in him, but this pull wasn’t about friendship. It was mental and physical and carnal and heated and charged and maddening and something I should run from fast and hard. If I was smart.

I wasn’t.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked, slowing, those eyes soaking me in.

“Heard we might be headed to the same place,” I said, going for cute and hoping it wasn’t lame. “Thought I’d bum a ride.”

The smolder that passed between us said it all.

“Anytime, Duchess,” he said, his eyes soft and playful. “Thank you for waiting.” Just as I grinned and turned toward the door, he touched my arm. “You got this, Shay. And I’ve got your back. You aren’t alone anymore.”

Goosebumps prickled my skin as the needed words poked at my heart. I dragged in a shaky breath to ward off the emotion and let my lips curve into a smile. “Beers at the pool?”

He grinned. “Living on the wild side again?”

I laughed. “Maybe.”

“So, maybe we set a few rules,” he said.

“Rules?”

He shrugged, pushing open the door for me so we could walk into the night air. “Like... boundaries,” he said. “What’s one hard and fast no-cross zone with you?”

Shit. I didn’t know where we were supposed to go with this, but he’d opened this door. I had to take it. “Like—sexual boundaries?” I ventured.

His grin turned amused. “You’re driving this one, so anywhere you want to go.”

My hand went over my face as I chuckled, feeling my whole head light on fire. “You kill me.”

He laughed heartily and pulled me to him in a playful embrace. “Duchess, there’s no need to be shy now. We’ve already broken the ice, so to speak,” he said next to my ear, sending shivers straight to my core. “And we both know it’ll probably happen again. Possibly tonight.”

Possibly before we even get home.

I looked up at his face, and his eyes dropped to my mouth. My toes tingled. “Things I don’t like?”

“Give it to me.”

“Telling me what to do,” I said, lifting my chin as he raised an eyebrow. “Don’t think you’re going to dominate me. While that’s kind of hot here and there, I’m not a puppet, and I push back.”

He smirked. “As I recall.”

“And another big thing,” I added. “Not a sexual one, just... because we’re friends.” I licked my lips. “At least I think we are.”

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