by Virna DePaul
Lexi’s throat closed and panic rose up inside her. This was how she’d felt last night when she’d first seen this monstrosity of a hotel room. Raw anxiety. Money did this to her. She just wasn’t comfortable with it.
She took a step back from him.
“Relax, Lex,” he said with a smile. “I know better than to get you fancy jewelry. Trust me. It’s a bauble. Really. You could have bought it for yourself. I just saw it and thought of you.”
More intrigued than terrified now, Lexi held her hand out for the box and sucked in a delighted breath when she opened it up. Inside was a simple silver chain with two little charms on it. A small black, shiny stone, and dainty silver outline of Montana. So small you might not even realize what it was if you weren’t looking for it.
Lexi grinned up at Eric as she pulled it out of the box. “I love it.”
“I thought you might.”
* * *
Lexi was too busy putting the necklace on, checking it out in the mirror to see the sad smile on his face.
Eric watched the silver charm settle against her collarbone. A little bit above her heart, but close enough. He hoped she’d wear it and think of him. He also hoped she’d never find out that the black stone was actually a black diamond and cost more than her entire summer’s wages. She’d skin him alive.
But he’d wanted her to have it. And it looked so right on her, just as he’d known it would.
“Alright,” he said as he cocked an elbow out to her the way she’d done to him moments before. “Now we’re ready. Let’s get outta here before we’re late and my mother turns us into shish kabobs.”
* * *
“Eric,” Lexi said as they rode in the elevator up to the gala. He’d told her it was on the top floor of some fancy building with an amazing view. With each floor they passed, Lexi felt anxiety ripple through her in ever-increasing waves. Eric was her lifeline. So strong and warm and real and handsome right next to her. She knew it might not be fair, but needed to lean on him.
“Hmm?” he asked, brushing her hair back from her shoulder.
“Maybe tonight. Just for tonight, you could introduce me as your girlfriend?”
His eyes were the darkest she’d ever seen them. Almost a midnight blue. For a moment, Lexi wondered if she’d made a mistake in asking. Then he smiled gently. “Of course, Lex. Whatever you want.”
Cool. So maybe not such a big deal after all. And it was just the additional piece of armor Lexi felt she needed to walk into the cavernous room that opened up before them as the elevator doors slid to the side.
“Jesus Christ,” she muttered to herself. “Everybody is so… glittery.”
Eric chuckled. “That does seem to be the goal around here.”
And that was the last thing he said to her before they were swallowed up in the crowd.
“Eric! Long time no see.”
“Davenport, you dog. Where have you been hiding this beautiful woman?”
“Eric, I wonder if I might have a moment of your time?”
“Eric, have you sampled the wine yet, it’s from my brother-in-law’s vineyard. If you like it, I wonder if you might want to take this lovely woman on a trip to see it sometime? An investment opportunity perhaps?”
“Davenport, I’ve been wondering when you’d resurface. Are you done hiding in east of nowhere?”
Twenty minutes later, when the crowd thinned a bit, Lexi tugged Eric into a side hallway that she was pretty sure was reserved for the staff. Whatever.
“These people are awful!” she hissed at him, involuntarily straightening his tie and smoothing her hands down the arms of his jacket. “How can you even stand this?”
Eric cleared his throat and played with the charm at her neck. “I gotta say, it’s a lot easier with you at my side. But they’re not all awful, Lexi. I have good friends here, too. People who—”
“Eric?”
If Lexi hadn’t been able to guess who the gorgeous woman calling his name was, a big clue would have been the way he stiffened in her arms and the way his eyes went cautious.
He turned to the beautiful brunette, her hair in a classic Hollywood pinup style, her curvaceous body highlighted to perfection in her lavender dress. “Brianne.”
He hesitated only a split second before stepping into her hug. Lexi watched him carefully, but she didn’t see yearning or remorse in his expression. In fact, the smile he gave Brianne seemed genuine, as did the smile Brianne gave him, though Lexi also saw relief in the other woman’s expression, as well.
Brianne looked her way. “Hello,” she said to Lexi. “I’m Brianne.”
“Hi.”
“Brianne, this is Lexi. My girlfriend.”
Brianne’s eyes went wide for just a second. But it was nothing compared to the way Lexi’s heart expanded in her chest. She’d requested the title. She knew that of course. But she hadn’t expected the way it would make her feel to have Eric say it. To have his deep, perfect voice say that word and be talking about her.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Brianne stepped forward and to Lexi’s surprise, enfolded her in a quick but tight hug. Just as Brianne pulled back, a huge, dark-haired man came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Eric,” he said quietly.
This must be Gabe. Figured that he’d be good looking too. Lexi pursed her lips and looked him up and down. Eric had insisted there weren’t hard feelings over his best friend stealing his fiancée. But still, just for good measure, she wanted these strangers to know exactly whose team she was on.
“Gabe,” Eric said. And then he moved forward and embraced his friend, just like Brianne had embraced Lexi. “It’s good to see you.”
Gabe pounded Eric on the back, and his expression, like Brianne’s, also held no small measure of relief. They loved each other. But they also loved Eric, Lexi realized. They cherished his friendship. And that went a long way toward making her feel less defensive around them.
But still. She couldn’t help but give them a little bit of a hard time.
When Gabe turned toward her, she said, “I’m Eric’s girlfriend. How do you two know Eric?”
Gabe and Brianne looked surprised. Horrified even.
Eric and Lexi burst out laughing.
“I’m sorry,” Lexi chuckled. “I had to.”
Smiles crept onto Brianne and Gabe’s faces as they realized she was just giving them a hard time. And as they realized that Eric was laughing his ass off.
“So,” Brianne said, her blush fading from her cheeks. “You guys are really right out in the lion’s den here. Why don’t you come to the balcony? It’s a friendlier crowd out there. Jamie and Lucy. And a couple of magic men from Vegas.”
Eric stopped walking. “You’re kidding. Max and Rhys?”
Brianne nodded in true delight. “And Grace and Melina, of course.”
Before they stepped onto the balcony, Eric swiped a glass of champagne from a tray and handed it to Lexi. “These are the good people I was telling you about. I can’t wait for you to meet them.”
“Eric!”
“Davenport!”
His name rang out with genuine affection. He was passed around the group. Hugs and handshakes from the men, and kisses from the women.
“This is my girlfriend, Lexi,” he called out to the group. She half smiled and executed a little wave. “This is Jamie and Lucy.” He pointed to a gorgeous dark-haired man and a stunning redhead in a short emerald green dress and purple heels. Then he gestured to two couples, a sexy set of identical twins, one with a pretty dark-haired woman, and the other with a beautiful blonde. “These are Rhys and Melina, and Max and Grace.”
“Oh!” Lexi’s eyes widened. “I’ve seen your act in Vegas.”
Rhys and Max were celebrity magicians and she’d been able to catch their show a few years ago in Vegas.
They both smiled. “You live in Vegas?” Max asked.
“Nah,” she shook her head. “I used to rodeo and the circuit took us just west of there. A few
of us came in for the show one night.”
“That’s awesome. So you were on the rodeo circuit? Tell us more.”
* * *
Across the balcony, Eric watched Lexi laugh with his friends and thought how well she seemed to be fitting in.
“She’s lovely,” a familiar voice said in his ear.
Eric turned to see Dante Callaghan, a former business colleague. Eric grinned and shook the man’s hand. “Great to see you, Dante. You still doing business with Gio?”
“Pretty regularly, yes.”
“I haven’t seen him.”
“Look for a pretty redhead and your chances will increase dramatically.”
Eric cocked a brow. “That so? Someone special?”
“Seems so.”
“I never thought I’d see the day a woman tamed Gio. Shit, she must be something special.”
Dante’s gaze shifted to Lexi, his meaning clear. Eric stared at Lexi a moment, taking in all that was her, before he nodded. “She’s definitely someone special,” he confirmed.
“Yet I sense something’s weighing on you.”
Eric shrugged. “She’s coming back to live here in August. I’m not.” His mouth suddenly dry, he took a big swallow of champagne. “This… the two of us here together… it’s just temporary. To her, I’m quicksand.”
“And to you?”
“To me, she’s…” Everything. She’s everything to me, he wanted to say. Instead, he simply said, “To me, she’s whatever she’ll give me in the time we have left together.”
“Right. Well I hope it all works out for you. I know you’re in Montana now, but if you—” Whatever Dante was going to say next was cut off as the other man stiffened and his gaze became hyper-focused. Turning, Eric followed his line of sight to where a beautiful woman was standing inside. It was Aurora LeMonde, Gio Esposito’s executive assistant. She was wearing a figure-hugging red dress that showcased her curves to perfection and although she smiled and greeted those who walked past her, it was clear her attention was focused on a couple across the room: Gio Esposito and a pretty redhead.
Shit, she was in love with Gio and she looked heartbroken, Eric thought, but he wondered if it was only because of his own conflicted feelings for Lexi that Eric could see that.
“Dante—” Eric began, but when he looked back at the other man, Eric’s mouth shut with an audible click. Maybe it wasn’t heartbreak, but there was yearning on Dante’s face. Yearning for Aurora LeMonde.
Shit, this place was just filled with the pain of unrequited love, wasn’t it?
Eric’s gaze had once again found Lexi when Dante slapped him on the shoulder.
“It was good talking to you, Eric, but I see someone I need to speak with. I hope things work out for you and Lexi,” he said, and then he was gone.
Eric watched as Dante approached Aurora. He took a moment to mentally wish Dante the same luck the man had just wished Eric, but then he spotted another familiar face in the crowd inside.
Quickly, Eric walked to Lexi, said some hurried goodbyes, and tugged her inside.
“Hey! I was talking with Grace!” Lexi protested. But Eric grabbed another glass of champagne, shoved it into her hands and brought her face to face with the handsome silver-haired man he’d spotted.
“Lexi, I’d like for you to meet Porter Ford.”
He quickly shook hands with the Oscar-winning screenwriter, even though they’d just seen one another that afternoon.
Lexi’s eyes were big as saucers and apparently her mouth wasn’t working anymore. Maybe he should have warned her before he’d sprung the intro on her. But he hadn’t wanted her to get nervous.
Eric nudged her in the side.
“I…wow… God.” Lexi held out her hand.
“I usually love for a pretty woman to refer to me as her God. But how about we just leave it at Porter.” Porter winked at her and took her hand in his.
Eric could have done with a little less flirting, but whatever got her in the door.
Well, certainly not whatever.
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you all day,” Porter said, finally dropping her hand.
Lexi squinted her eyes in confusion. “You have?”
“Yes, ever since Davenport dropped off your manuscript with me this afternoon.”
Lexi’s eyes found his. “He did?”
“I didn’t want to get your hopes up. Or freak you out.” Eric shrugged. “But Porter texted me an hour ago to say that he’d read it and was really impressed.”
Lexi looked once again at the other man. “You were?”
“That’s right. If you’re interested, I’d like to mentor you when you make the move to L.A.”
Lexi, apparently, had run out of words.
“You show real talent. There are some classes I’d like for you to take. And when you’re ready, I think you’d make a great addition to my writer’s group. What do you say?”
When she was still standing there like a fish on dry land, Eric leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Say yes, Lex.”
“Yes,” she repeated dimly. “Yes, absolutely. I’d love that.”
“Great.” Porter smiled at someone over Eric’s shoulder. “Davenport will keep us in touch. Good luck with your move.”
Porter moved away and that was all the warning Eric got before he was drowning in Lexi’s kiss.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time Lexi and Eric were in the elevator back up to their hotel room, she was sagging against his shoulder. It had been quite the night. Drinks and dinner and dancing. He hadn’t been surprised to learn that she was a good dancer. Unschooled, maybe. But natural.
The same way she was with everything. A true natural talent.
He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her.
God, he was so screwed.
Tomorrow they were going to fly back to Montana and go back to what? Friends with benefits? That was if he was lucky. Another month of that and then Bye Bye Birdy.
The thought curdled in his stomach.
He held her around the waist as he unlocked the door. She immediately shucked off her shoes as he slid his tie off and laid his jacket over a chair.
“That was really fun,” she murmured.
She was tired enough that Eric assumed that sex was off the table for the night. In a way, he was almost relieved. He didn’t think his stupid, hopeful heart could take it right now. He’d take the couch. Keep things a little simpler between the two of them. He slid his shirt out from his pants and started unbuttoning.
“The gala was alright. But the rest was really nice.”
“The rest?” she asked from behind him. He could hear her rustling around and getting undressed.
“Yeah,” he said, deciding to be honest. “Pretending you were my girlfriend for the night. It was really nice.” He stripped off his shirt and lowered his hand to his pants, then thought better of it.
“Eric,” she said from behind him. And when he turned to look at her, his heart literally stopped. She stunned in black lace, her silk dress in a pool at her feet. She drew back the covers on the giant king sized bed and looked back over her shoulder at him. “The night’s not over.”
He was next to her in a second. Less than. But he vowed to himself that that was the last time he was going to go fast tonight. Tonight was about savoring her. Every last drop. She was the finest whisky. The darkest chocolate. The ripest fruit. He wasn’t going to let a single taste go to waste.
Sweeping the hair up off her neck, Eric buried his nose in her skin, couldn’t get enough of her natural scent.
“You were the only woman in there who wasn’t bathed in perfume,” he murmured against her, his lips dragging over her skin. “And you smelled better than any of them.”
Her breath caught as his hand scraped up her thigh, his fingers twisting in the lace of her panties.
The rules don’t apply in L.A.
Throwing every single plan to distance himself out the window, Eric stripped h
er of the black lace that, while sexy as fuck, didn’t hold a candle to the beauty of her naked skin. I can’t deny myself this, he thought.
I can’t deny myself of a single second with her.
Maybe it would torture him in the morning, when they pulled away from one another. But he couldn’t resist. Couldn’t resist showing both of them what could have been.
* * *
Eric's hands were large and strong, and they moved over Lexi’s body as carefully and reverently as if she was a fine piece of art. Her body tingled as he gently massaged and kneaded and explored every square inch of her before finally concentrating on the very center of her, drawing hoarse moans from her throat and causing shockwave after shockwave of pleasure to ripple through her.
She reached for his pants, yearning to touch him, desperately wanting to see his rock hard abs, grab his incredibly firm ass, and feel his long, stiff cock in her hands. To her surprise and immense frustration, he stopped her. “Not yet, Lexi. You’ll have your turn. Right now I need to taste you again,” he said, pushing her thighs apart as he lowered his face between her legs. The warmth of his breath upon her opening hit her hard, but it was the tip of his tongue, which he used to circle her clit before diving in deeper, that really made her toes curl. She gasped and moaned, burying her fingers into his hair as Eric worked his magic, slow and steady, as if they had all night to explore each other's bodies. Her back arched up from the bed as he buried his tongue inside of her and she moaned so loud, it echoed off the walls of the bedroom.
Grabbing his head, she ground her pussy against his warm, wet mouth. He sucked and licked and fucked her with his tongue, bringing her close to the edge before slowing his pace and bringing her back down.
She whimpered in disappointment, drawing a devious little smile from him as he looked up at her, her juices glistening on his face. The sight sent chills through her body, and made the fire inside her burn even brighter.
“Fuck me. Fuck me, please,” she pleaded after he’d brought her a third time, and then fourth time, to the edge, only to pull her back.
