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“You’re the new girl. We’re bonding,” Annie said. “Get on board.”
Chapter eight
One hour and a little more than one butterscotch schnapps later, Paul offered to give Lexie a ride home. Vikki lived in an apartment not far from their street, so they left her and Annie to their own devices. They’d been staggering around the kitchen in search of a snack when Paul and Lexie left.
“You know, we worry about you on your own all the way out here,” Paul said as he pulled the car into Lexie’s driveway. He appeared to be eyeing the surrounding woods with distaste. “I know this house means a lot to you, but it’s not safe—especially now.”
“You sound like Wade.” Lexie got busy digging around her bag for her keys. “It’s not that far out of town.”
“It is if you’re in trouble.”
At his scolding tone, she looked up. This was not something she wanted to discuss while intoxicated and about to walk into her dark and empty house.
“You do take precautions, don’t you?” he asked. “Alarm system? Security cameras?”
Lexie softened. “No, nothing like that,” she admitted. “But I’m careful. I lock the deadbolts and bar the windows. Anyway, it’s not like there’s a need for crazy security measures around here—at least there never used to be.”
“Yeah, well, I’d feel a lot better if you let me install something for you.”
Having built a successful career in tech, Paul was forever helping people out with their computers, television issues, phones, and now, apparently, home security.
She sighed. “Alright fine.” Then with a dramatic bow of her head, she said, “Do what you will.”
Paul smiled. “Smart ass.” He waited a beat before asking, “So, you and this Nico guy, huh?”
“Oh—no. Not really. I mean—maybe. I don’t know.”
“Sounds complicated.”
Lexie unclipped her seatbelt. “Thanks to you-know-who, it always is.” She opened her door and stepped out. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime.”
She stumbled through the front door while Paul watched—and probably laughed—from the car. He stayed put until she was safely locked inside. She waved through the foyer window as he drove away, then kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the couch.
Full of booze and self-pity, she pulled out Nico’s card.
What was wrong with her? It wasn’t so long ago that she’d sworn off men altogether after she learned the hard way that happy endings didn’t exist.
Fool me once . . .
Why, then—while she was still in the process of recovering mentally and emotionally from the last bout of violence and heartache—was she even entertaining the possibility of things with Nico becoming more?
She wasn’t.
Wouldn’t.
He was kind and funny, with an infectious zest and a cheekiness she couldn’t help but like. Masculine and virile, he also held an undeniable air of danger about him—but not to her; the feeling more akin to the self-assuredness of owning a well-trained dog who would tear trespassers to shreds yet still play gently with the children. And the feel of his body, warm and firm against hers, had branded itself onto her memory. She wanted to feel it again. Closing her eyes, she let out the smallest groan as she imagined what it might be like to wrap her legs around that muscled waist, to wake up to that sexy smile the next morning.
It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. She never got that far with Dalton and before him . . . well, she’d rather not remember too much of her time with Kyle. Like every other aspect of their relationship, he had been sweet enough in the beginning, but the more time went on, the less sweet he became. He’d never forced himself on her, but Lexie had spent far too many nights with him inside her feeling used, simply because it wasn’t worth the fight if she were to protest. She had let him disrespect her in so many ways, made excuses for his behavior, told herself time and time again that he didn’t mean the awful things he did and said. She felt like an idiot for losing so much of herself to such a man. She imagined things would feel different with Nico. Good. Easy. In her fantasy, he would be gentle. Attentive. He’d whisper sinful things in her ear, take care of her needs, and be just the right amount of alpha male to turn her inside out with lust.
Maybe Annie was right. Maybe it was time to take her life back and stop letting fear control her. Letting Kyle control her. The man was still telling people they were together, saying they were just going through a rough patch or whatever other garbage he could come up with as to why she no longer lived with him. Enough was enough. He—and everyone else in this town—needed to be set straight. Because Lexie Bowen would wear the Garrett brand no more.
Suddenly feeling all her inhibitions drain away, Lexie whipped out her phone, typed a message telling Nico about her favorite little Italian restaurant on Gregory Street, and grinned to herself as she hit send. He’d said his offer for dinner was a standing one, after all.
Ten seconds later her phone was ringing.
Crap. Omigod. Shit!
