The Matchmaker's Replacement

by Rachel Van Dyken

  He continued his staring.

  “I yelled back.” I released a long-suffering sigh. “She eventually wore me down.”

  Ian shrugged. “As she usually does.”

  “And I let her win round one, because I’m trying not to go to prison before I graduate from college, and if I keep fighting with her, well . . .”

  “It’s your future,” Ian agreed.

  “Right.” I breathed out a sigh of relief. “So, can we take this up some other time?”

  “Sure.” He nodded. “But I think I already have my answer about my idea, if you’re cool with me just making a decision for both of us.”

  He did that often, but he owned half of the company and I trusted his judgment, so why did I care? “Sure, whatever.”

  “Don’t kill her.” Ian called after me.

  “Kill her?” My eyebrows rose. “What about me?”

  “You always end up on top.”

  My jeans tightened to a painful degree. “Yeah, I wish.”

  Ian smiled.

  The guy had no idea what he was saying.

  But my body did.

  What I wouldn’t give to be on top—which really was saying something, since for once in my life, I’d be getting a workout in the bedroom. Not necessarily a bad thing, more like a sweaty adventure I couldn’t wait to embark on.

  Chapter Twenty

  Gabi

  Lex was late—only by a minute, but sitting out in the parking lot gave me the creeps. The club was still going wild with dancers throwing themselves around poles and patrons getting drunk, but outside it was dark, and the parking lot wasn’t exactly well lit. Though the club stuck out like a sore thumb, all bright lights like an adult version of Candy Land or something.

  Headlights blinked in my direction, and at first I thought it was Lex. The car was red like his, but as it neared I noticed that it was an older Mercedes. Lex’s was basically brand-new and in impeccable condition.

  The car parked a few feet away from me. I took a few steps back toward the club, making sure to appear like I wasn’t afraid to be standing outside alone.

  A tall man with a black beanie and graying goatee stepped out of the car. His black shoes were shiny, and his jeans looked tight and uncomfortable. A black T-shirt hung loosely on his body, and he smelled like he’d just taken a bath in aftershave. I almost had to hold my breath.

  He took a step toward me. “How much?”

  “Um.” I pointed back at the club. “There isn’t a cover.”

  He smirked, running his hand around his mouth. “Not for the club. For you.”

  Oh no. I swallowed the slowly rising panic as adrenaline surged through my system. “I’m a waitress. Not a hooker.”

  “Same thing.” He nodded.

  “No.” I stepped back; only two feet and I’d be at the door. Never in my life did I ever think that I’d feel safer in a gentlemen’s club than in a parking lot, but there it was. “Actually, it’s not.”

  He moved too fast for me to react.

  One minute I was standing.

  The next, he was pushing me against the brick wall. “I asked how much, you bitch, and I always get what I want.”

  His breath smelled sour. I tried to turn my head away, but the grip he had on my chin was unbreakable.

  “How much?” he repeated, his eyes crazed.

  “You can’t afford her,” came a familiar voice.

  I sagged in relief as the guy released my chin and turned to face Lex, who had at least sixty pounds on him.

  The man scowled. “Back off. This is between me and the lady.”

  “You mean my girlfriend?” Lex crossed his arms, and I completely ignored the short thrill that ran through my body at hearing him say “girlfriend.” It’s like my body forgot to be afraid, because Lex was there. “I’m going to only say this once. Leave her alone, go in the club, grab a drink. There’s plenty of girls in there.”

  The man looked at Lex as if sizing him up, then finally gave a firm nod and started making his way toward the door.

  “Are you okay?” Lex moved toward me.

  The man charged.

  “Lex, watch out!” I yelled, but the man was already on Lex, ramming him into the wall.

  Lex laughed. The bastard laughed as he shoved the man off him and punched him in the face, hard. Like so hard that my face hurt.

  The man stumbled back.

  Lex looked bored.

  The man charged again. This time Lex landed an upper hook to the guy’s chin, then followed up with a punch in the stomach. When the guy doubled over, Lex patted him on the back and whispered, “It’s probably time to call it a night.”

  The man groaned and fell to the ground.

  Just as the police showed up.

  Seriously?

  Lex and I shared a look of disbelief.

  “Well, Sunshine.” Lex grinned. “Looks like another trip to jail . . . What’s this, twice now?”

  “You aren’t going to jail for self-defense.” I rolled my eyes.

  A police offer stepped out of his car. “Everything okay here?”

  “It is now.” Lex held out his hand, shaking the officer’s, and pointed to me. “My girlfriend was just attacked by this dipshit.”

  “That true, ma’am?” the officer asked me.

  I gave him a wobbly nod. “He asked how much I cost.”

  The look in Lex’s eyes was pure hatred. “Clearly I didn’t hit him hard enough, then.”

  “Do you work here?” The officer directed the question at me.

  “I just got off.”

  “Alright, I’ll need to file a report, but since it was self-defense and he was attacking you . . .” His voice trailed off. “I’d maybe invest in some Mace if you plan on keeping this job, or at least have your boyfriend pick you up at night.”

  I nodded.

  After giving another account of what happened, we were finally in Lex’s car. It was nearly midnight. I still hadn’t eaten anything for dinner.

  And I had a class and work the next morning.

  Double shift.

  Plus Steve.

  Add that to being terrified from my attack, and I was just . . . done.

  Lex turned up the heat even though it wasn’t that cold out. I was grateful that he didn’t say anything. I needed to think, decompress.

  Nothing had happened.

  But it could have.

  “I’m sorry,” I finally whispered when we were minutes from my house.

  With a jerk, Lex pulled the car over to the side of the road, shifted into park, and faced me. “Are you serious right now?”

  I nodded as my eyes filled with tears, and when I opened my mouth the only thing that came out was a pitiful croak.

  “Shit.” Lex closed his eyes, then unclicked my seat belt and somehow managed to lift me over the console and into his lap. My feet dangled on my seat while my body rested in his lap. He held me close and kissed my forehead.

  And I completely lost it as tremors wracked my body.

  “You’re safe, Gabi,” he whispered. “I swear.”

  “You know,” I hiccupped, “you were totally more superhero tonight than villain.”

  Lex’s chuckle shook my body, warming it, washing me with its rightness. “Yeah, well, don’t tell anyone. I would hate to ruin a good thing, you know?”

  I nodded.

  “And I swear, if you ever apologize for getting attacked again, I’m going to spank your ass.” His eyes were hooded as he stared down at me. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad I was there. You did nothing wrong.”

  “Well . . .” I broke eye contact. “I’m wo
rking at a club, so that’s probably the first bad choice, then waiting outside—”

  “No.” Lex shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Okay.” I huffed.

  “Okay?” He cupped my chin and then brushed a kiss across my cheek. His lips hovered near my ear, his breathing ragged. It matched mine.

  “Okay,” I said again.

  His eyes met mine. “Okay.”

  And then our mouths touched.

  Chapter

  Twenty-One

  Lex

  The contact was brief, almost like a whisper as my lips brushed hers, and then I retreated. I wasn’t going to make out with her just after she got attacked. Vulnerability didn’t look good on her. I hated it. She was strong. And when that armor cracked, it wounded me probably just as much as it hurt her.

  “Have you eaten?” I blurted the first thing that came to my mind because if I didn’t say something, I’d kiss her again and wouldn’t stop there. I knew I had no self-control where she was concerned.

  Because in that moment . . .

  When she was getting attacked . . .

  All I could think was . . . I’ve been waiting for this girl for four years, I sure as hell am not going to let anyone else touch what’s mine.

  Four years.

  I was done waiting.

  Gabi’s big green eyes blinked back at me. Damn it, she was so beautiful it hurt to stare at her. “Actually, no.”

  “Great.” I gently placed her back in the passenger seat. “Buckle up, Sunshine, I’m about to rock your world.”

  “Hmm . . . I wonder how many girls you’ve said that to?”

  “That line? Too cheesy. I saved it for you.”

  “Touched.” She smirked, then reached for my hand. “And Lex?”

  “Yeah?” I was shaking, but I squeezed her hand back.

  “Tonight.” She licked her pink lips. “You were my hero.”

  I had never realized how badly I wanted her to see me in that light—until that moment.

  “I should probably get a cape now.” I nodded seriously. “You know, just in case.”

  “Red.”

  She didn’t release my hand, so I put the car into drive with my left and took off. “You don’t think black?”

  “Black is too badass.”

  “Are you saying I’m not badass enough?”

  “Eh.” She made a dismissive motion with her free hand. “It’s your major.”

  “Why is everyone hating on my major tonight?” I wondered aloud. “Did I or did I not just kick some dude’s ass?”

  “He probably had a weak heart and a fake hip,” Gabs said seriously.

  I nearly swerved off the road. “The hell he did! He was maybe fifty!”

  She raised her hands in the air. “Whatever you say, Rocky.”

  “Did you know the Rocky script was written in three days?” I turned toward my house, completely passing Gabs’s.

  “Um?” She pointed.

  “And”—I turned down my road—“also, the infamous running scene? Over eight hundred school kids used as extras.” I stopped in front of my house and turned off the car.

  “Fascinating,” Gabs said in a dry tone. “Also, we’re at your house?”

  “Yup.” I unbuckled my seat belt and then hers, and when she opened her mouth again, I silenced her with my lips.

  “O-o-okay,” she stuttered out when I released her.

  “Okay,” I whispered back, letting out a heavy sigh as she slowly opened her car door.

  I followed her closely, my hands brushing her hips every few seconds, unable to keep myself away. Damn it, I was supposed to be staying away, not pulling her close.

  Gabs suddenly stopped and I collided with her ass, nearly sending her sailing into the sidewalk.

  “You need a warning button or something,” I grumbled, placing my hands on her shoulders. “Suddenly scared of doorsteps, or what?”

  “Yes.” Her body tensed. “More like I’m scared of what it means.”

  “Nothing. It doesn’t have to mean anything.” I stepped around her and grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the door. “Or it could mean everything.” Scary, how much I ached for it to mean everything.

  Gabi’s lips were swollen from my kisses even though I thought I’d been gentle; maybe it was a combination of her crying against me and my mouth pressed against hers. Regardless, she was gorgeous standing there blanketed in moonlight.

  “Come on.” I held out my hand. “It’s just food.”

  “At your house.” Gabs arched an eyebrow while the corner of her mouth twitched. “Don’t you guys have a ‘no girls allowed’ rule at night?”

  “Why yes, yes we do.” I smiled wide. “But last I checked, you were a dude, so . . .”

  “Ass.” Gabs smacked me in the shoulder, shoved me to the side, and walked in, giving me a sideways glance before tossing her shoes off and dumping them near the neat little basket we kept by the door. I was surprised and a little stunned at my own raw reaction to seeing her feet, like she’d just flashed me boob instead of toe.

  “See? Easy,” I said behind her.

  “Trickery,” she grumbled, then made her way into the kitchen and sat at the barstool. “Okay, feed me.”

  I held up a finger and opened the fridge. “Okay, so I have . . . shit.”

  “Oh I’ll take that, with a side of mayo, thanks.” She laughed.

  “Are you making fun of me?”

  “I would never.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s always going to be like this, isn’t it?”

  “What?”

  “Arguing. You can’t help yourself.”

  “I like to have the last word.”

  “Believe me.” I shut the fridge door. “I know.” I looked around the empty kitchen. “So, pizza?”

  Gabs held up her hand for a high-five.

  I slapped it, then sent a text to Domino’s. Whoever was in charge of their social media deserved free pizza for life.

  Within fifteen minutes we had three extra-large pizzas with enough pineapple to hold a luau.

  Gabs was facedown on the couch, groaning, while I put the leftovers away and searched for wine.

  She’d eaten two pieces.

  I counted.

  When I yelled at her to eat more, she threw a pineapple at my face and said that her stomach still felt weak.

  I prayed it wasn’t because of me.

  But because of what happened in the parking lot.

  Whatever. I needed to get over myself.

  “I should get going,” Gabs moaned from the couch, unmoving. “But for some reason my head is in love with this position.”

  I grunted. “You’ve probably just made that cushion’s year.”

  She raised her hand above the couch and gave me the finger.

  Laughing, I finally located two glasses and the wine I’d been hunting for and poured her a hefty glass.

  She sat up when I turned down the lights and came around the couch. “What’s this?”

  “Peace treaty?” I handed her the glass, then clinked mine against it. “No insults until the morning, and then we’re back to suiting up.”

  “Cover your man parts.” Gabs took a long swig, and her throat moved as liquid poured down it. For some reason I found the entire movement erotic.

  “Aw, but I thought you liked it when my man parts were all . . . exposed.”

  “Ew.” Gabs took another drink and put the glass down. “Don’t say ‘exposed’ ever again. Not alone, not in a sentence, not ever.”

  I rolled my eyes and reached for the remote, but G
abs suddenly shoved me out of the way, nearly spilling wine all over the floor in an attempt to beat me to the punch.

  “Shit!” I yelled. “Are you four?”

  “No!” Gabs yelled. “No ID channel!”

  “Gabs”—I set my wine down and calmly tried to wrestle the remote from her hand—“it’s educational.”

  “It’s horrifying!”

  “Only if you fall asleep with it on.”

  “Twice! Twice I thought I was getting murdered.”

  I tugged the remote harder. “Not my fault you have an overactive imagination.”

  She glared, then released the remote and stood. “I should be getting home anyway.”

  I smiled and leaned back against the couch. “Sure thing.”

  “Lex?”

  “Sunshine?”

  “Aren’t you going to drive me home?”

  “I’ve got a bike out back.” I snapped my fingers. “Oh, wait . . .”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Low blow.”

  “Mmmm.” I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes. “Say ‘blow’ again.”

  “Swear on Ian’s life I will shove this remote control up your nose and cause more brain damage than you already have.”

  “That sounds really erotic. Fun fact: did you know the nose has more nerve endings than—”

  With a shriek Gabs launched herself onto me, straddling my body with her short little legs and shoving a pillow across my face.

  Laughter exploded from me. Did she really think she could suffocate me? She was a quarter of my body weight . . . Okay, not really, but pretty damn close.

  “A little to the left,” I instructed as she kept smothering. “Ah, right there, yes, yes, yes.”

  The pillow suddenly dropped, and Gabs huffed out a breath. “I give up. You’re impossible to kill.”

  I shook my head. “If I had a penny . . .”

  Gabs looked down at her hands, the hands she had placed against my chest. I was afraid to move.

  I think she was too.