“I need a place to sleep.”
His tone held none of its usual teasing or cocky certainty. But she kept the door open only a crack, not yet willing to let him in. “I thought you were staying at the bar.”
“Too damn quiet after everyone leaves. Too empty. And it smells like a bar.”
She smiled a little. “You smell like a bar.”
“I could use a shower.” He lifted a black duffel bag into view. “I brought a change of clothes.”
She shook her head. “You should stay with Sam and Julia.”
“They’re a family. I don’t belong there.”
“You don’t belong here.”
He shrugged. “I don’t belong anywhere.” Lexi knew it was the first wholly honest thing he’d said since they’d met. The smallest bit of vulnerability flashed in his eyes and she was a goner.
Jon Riley’s words about being hurt echoed in her head, but she pushed them away as she reached out and took Scott’s hand. Pulling him to her, she brushed a wayward lock of hair away from his forehead. Her finger traced the side of his face, much the same way he’d done the last time he touched her. Did it have the same effect? His heated gaze gave her hope that it did.
He looked as if he wanted to devour her, but didn’t make a move. He only watched as she explored his skin with her hands, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.
“Misty said you think I’m too slow,” she told him softly, the words stinging her pride as she repeated them.
“The customers don’t seem to mind,” he answered. “You made good tips tonight.”
“So you’re not going to fire me?” She tried to make her voice sound teasing.
“Not yet,” he answered.
“I’d threaten you with a sexual-harassment lawsuit but you flirt with everyone at the bar except me. Why is that?”
“You’re the one pressed up against me.” He shifted, somehow drawing her closer without pulling her to him. “Who’s doing the harassing?”
He was right, but she could sense that his need matched her own. In the quiet intimacy of her apartment, it made her bold enough to ask, “Does this feel like harassment, Scott?”
“This feels like heaven,” he whispered. “But I didn’t come here for this. I’m no good for you.”
“That’s the point. I’m looking for a wild adventure and developing a new fondness for things that aren’t good for me.”
He took her arms and lifted them around his neck. Her head tilted and he brushed his lips against hers. Finally. It seemed as if she’d been waiting for this kiss her entire life.
And it was worth it.
His mouth felt delicious, the pressure sending sparks of desire along every inch of her skin. She lost herself in the sensations, reeling from the onslaught of need he aroused in her.
His strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her more tightly against him until she could tell how much he wanted her. She wanted him with the same need, like a drug she couldn’t get enough of. She was quickly tipping out of control and the unfamiliarity of that made her push away.
Lexi Preston never lost control. She knew the dark and dangerous path where that might lead.
“You’re right,” she said around a gulp of air. “I’m slow.” She covered her still-tingling lips with her fingers for a moment and stared at the floor. “I’m not one of your usual barflies.”
“I never thought you were.”
She pulled her shirt hem down where it had bunched around her waist. “You can stay here tonight.” She still didn’t meet his gaze. “On the couch. There’s no furniture in the second bedroom right now. Use the shower, whatever you need. I’m going to bed.” She squeezed her eyes shut tight. “Alone.”
Before he could answer, she turned and retreated to the bedroom.
* * *
Scott watched her go, willing his heart to slow and his body to settle down.
What the hell was he doing in Lexi’s apartment?
He’d told her the truth—he’d come here to sleep. After the last stragglers had gone home, he’d sat alone at the empty bar with a glass of Jack Daniel’s in his hand, ready to blot out the memories that flooded him when he closed his eyes. But he couldn’t lift the drink to his lips.
Sam was right—he’d been doing more self-medicating with alcohol than he should lately. Since his partner had been killed, it was the only thing that numbed the pain and the thoughts that raced around his brain. He’d always enjoyed a good buzz, but he’d never needed it the way he did now.
He’d already lost control in so many areas of his life. How much was he willing to give up? He’d poured out the glass of whiskey and paced the length of the building. There was nothing more depressing than an empty bar after closing, when the lack of body heat and voices made it feel like a sad, lonely shell of broken dreams.
A lot like his life.
He’d gotten in his truck and driven here. Sure, he could have called Tina or even Misty and found a warm welcome and a warmer bed. Instead he’d craved the lightness he felt radiating from Lexi. She was the purest person he’d met in a long time, someone good and innocent and everything he hadn’t been in years.
He didn’t understand his need for her. He’d never been attracted to the buttoned-up type before. But her strawberry hair, big luminous eyes and creamy skin made him want to fold her into him and not let go.
Except he knew he’d destroy the goodness in her. That was what he did to the people he needed. As much as he might want her, he’d keep his distance. He’d stay on the couch, stay away from her bed. As self-destructive as he could be, he still had a deep need to protect the people around him. Too bad he was the person Lexi needed protection against the most.
* * *
Scott slept better on the overstuffed couch than he had in years. He woke, showered and dressed, feeling halfway human again.
By the time eight o’clock rolled around, Lexi still hadn’t made an appearance. He knocked softly on her bedroom door. “I know you’re awake. I hear you moving around. You can come out—I won’t bite.”
He heard something bang behind the closed door.
“I bet you have to go to the bathroom pretty bad by now.”
The door opened and Lexi appeared, fully dressed in jeans and a shapeless T-shirt that nonetheless gave him a little thrill. She tried hard to hide her petite figure and he couldn’t understand why.
“Why are you still here?” she asked warily.
“It’s cheery.”
“There isn’t a lick of decoration in the place,” she said and nudged him out of the way, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
He chuckled and moved back toward the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “It’s a hell of a lot cheerier than the bar.”
He opened several cabinet doors. “There’s got to be coffee here somewhere,” he said as she came into the kitchen behind him.
“I told you I don’t drink coffee. Tea is your only choice.”
He made a choking sound.
“There’s a bakery around the corner.” She rolled her eyes. “Have at it.”
“I have a better idea,” he told her. “Let’s grab breakfast. That diner in town is always crowded.”
Her eyebrows shot to the top of her head. “I’m not having breakfast with you.”
“Why not? All you’ve got is yogurt and fruit here. That’s not going to do it for me.”
“What does it for you isn’t my concern.” She put her hands on her small hips. “I let you stay here.”
“Consider it a thank-you, then.” He winked. “We’ll discuss our future living arrangements. The couch is great but I’m going to need to get a bed.”
She shook her head. “This is my apartment.”
“Actually,” he said slowly,
“it’s my sister-in-law’s apartment. I have more rights to it than you.”
Lexi’s mouth dropped open and he found himself wanting to kiss it shut. “She’s renting it to me.”
“I don’t like staying at the bar. I’m family.” He grabbed her purse from the back of the chair and handed it to her. “My brother doesn’t trust you after what you and your father tried to do.”
She sucked in a breath.
“Don’t make me use the family card.”
“I’m ordering everything on the menu,” she mumbled and headed out the door.
They drove in silence the few minutes to the restaurant. Scott could feel her frustration. He knew Julia didn’t think much of him, and the truth was, his sister-in-law might very well rather rent her apartment to Lexi than him. He wasn’t letting on, though.
He didn’t want to stay at the bar. Although he would never admit it out loud, he didn’t want to be by himself right now. He’d been living alone since he’d left home at eighteen. By nature, he was a loner. Even with girlfriends, he’d never been much of a stay-the-night snuggler. But he’d felt a strange sort of comfort knowing Lexi was sleeping down the hall last night. He had about a decade’s worth of decent sleep to catch up on, and he was determined to make it happen.
She didn’t order everything on the menu, but did ask for both an omelet and a stack of pancakes, plus granola on the side.
“Where do you put all that food?” he asked after their waitress had filled the table with plates. “You’re no bigger than a minute and you’ve got enough calories on that plate for an NFL quarterback.”
Reaching for the syrup, she answered, “It’s going to be my dinner, too. I’ll get a take-home box.”
“So you conned me into buying you two meals?”
“I gave you a place to sleep last night.” She took a big bite of pancake.
“Why do you need to hoard food? You don’t strike me as someone hard up for money.”
“I don’t want to use my credit cards while I’m here.” She stopped chewing midbite and stared at him, as if realizing she’d shared too much. “I’m trying to save money.”
“You’re hiding.” He took a drink of coffee and studied her, the mystery that was his little pixie mouse falling into place. “From a boyfriend?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. My so-called boyfriend is probably relieved to get a break from me. My father set us up and I’m pretty sure he’s only with me to improve his chances at making partner in the firm.”
“Then he’s an idiot.” Scott held up a hand when she would have argued. “Don’t change the subject. It must be your father. What happened between you and dear old dad?”
“Nothing,” she muttered. “I just want some time on my own.”
Scott shook his head. For an attorney, she was a terrible liar. “Tell me,” he coaxed, extending his leg so he could brush against hers under the table. “Secrets are better when you share them.”
She put down her fork. “It’s not really a secret. I gave Julia some information about her ex-boyfriend’s family that ensured they’d end the custody suit. They found out and dropped my father’s firm. In turn, he dropped me.”
“Not for good.”
She shrugged. “From the moment I came to live with him, I’ve done everything he wanted me to. This is new ground for both of us.”
“You’re adopted?”
“When I was six. I’d been put into the foster system and shortly after, my mother died.” Lexi drew in a breath and stared at her plate. “She was an alcoholic. I’d already been in two homes when my father found me. I owe him my life, really.” When she looked up, tears shone in her big eyes. “But it’s my life and I’ve never once made a decision just for me. He’s mad now, but you’re right, it’s not forever. He’s going to expect me to come back. Before I do, I need a little freedom. I’m going to see what it’s like to do what I want to for a change.”
“Why go back at all? If you want freedom, take it.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“You’re making it complex.”
“I owe him.”
“He’s your father. That’s not how it works with parents.” Not that Scott had a lot of experience with unconditional love. His mother had died when he was a boy, killed in a car accident when she’d been driving after drinking. Her death had made his father pull away emotionally for years.
“When my father decided he wanted to adopt, he had fifteen kids in the foster system IQ tested. I happened to be the smartest of the bunch. That’s how he picked me.”
The thought made Scott cringe. “Is that even legal?”
“It doesn’t matter. He made it happen.” Lexi took a drink of juice, holding the tiny glass in front of her like a shield. “I always understood that I’d been given a great opportunity. And that I’d be a fool to jeopardize it. So I didn’t. I was perfect, exactly who he wanted me to be. Up until seven months ago, I was more Stepford daughter than real person. I’m grateful for everything he did for me and I love him.” She put down the juice and gestured with her hands. “This is all pretend to me. He made me the person I am and I can’t change that. I’m going to take this time and enjoy it.”
“Then what?” Scott almost didn’t want to hear the answer.
She bit her bottom lip. “Then I go back to regular life. Or I go a different way. I need time to figure that out.”
The waitress came to the table. “Could you box all this up for us?” Scott asked, gesturing to the three plates still sitting in front of Lexi.
“Sure thing, sweetie.” As she picked up the dishes, she smiled at him. “Aren’t you the new owner over at Riley’s?” she crooned.
He returned her grin. “Guilty as charged.”
“I’ve always preferred Cowboys,” she told him. Scott knew the other bar in town had loud country music, a huge dance floor and a mechanical bull. His version of hell. “But,” she continued, leaning closer to him, “it might be worth a change of venue one of these nights.”
“We’d love to see you over there.”
Lexi cleared her throat and nudged the waitress’s arm with one of the plates. “You forgot this.”
She turned, as if noticing her for the first time. “Thanks,” she muttered before walking away.
“I don’t get why you’re such a magnet for women.” Lexi huffed out a breath. “What’s so special about you?”
“Where do I begin?” he asked with a laugh, enjoying how bothered she was by the other woman’s attention to him, even if he couldn’t quite explain why. “But you’re changing the subject again. You think by not using your credit cards, your father won’t find you? What about when you use your cell phone?”
“I haven’t yet.” She fidgeted in her chair. “I don’t expect you to understand. I need time, that’s all.”
He understood better than she knew. After everything he’d seen and done, if he could take a break from his messed-up life for a time, he’d gladly do it. Maybe that was why he’d made the impulsive offer to buy the bar in the first place. It was an expensive way to keep himself busy while he regrouped, but that was what he needed. After the incident, his superiors had wanted him to see a counselor while the internal investigation ran its course. According to his boss, it was standard when a marshal was killed in the line of duty and part of the requirement to have his administrative leave lifted.
Not that it mattered. Scott wasn’t sure he’d ever go back. He still had the resignation letter he’d drafted. Any day now he’d get around to sending it.
He grabbed Lexi’s hand as she made to stand from the table. “Not so fast. I bought you enough breakfast to feed a fire station. But we haven’t talked about our living arrangement.”
Lexi stared at him as a shiver ran down her spine. He couldn’t be serious. “You can’t live
with me,” she whispered.
“Why not?”
“People will talk about us.”
“You think so?” he answered as the waitress came back to the table with a large bag of to-go cartons and the check.
She slid the small piece of paper toward Scott with a wink. “My phone number’s on the back. When you get a night off, give me a call.”
“How can she do that?” Lexi said with a hiss as the woman walked away again. “I’m sitting right here. It’s like I’m invisible. For all she knows, we’re on a date. We could have spent the night together and she’s propositioning you while I watch.”
“If I was staying at the apartment with you, maybe the flocks of women would back off.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Lexi did a mental eye roll, but at the same time her stomach fluttered. Scott Callahan was exactly the kind of man her father had warned her about for years. A bad boy to the core. Maybe that was part of the reason she found him so appealing.
She knew it was a bad idea, but said, “If I let you stay there, I don’t want any more talk about me being fired.”
He chuckled. “You’re a terrible waitress. You know that, right?”
“Terrible is a strong word.”
“You break more glasses than drinks you serve.”
“I’m getting better,” she argued.
“True, but you’ll never be a natural.”
“Those are my terms.” She grabbed the bag of food and made her way toward the door.
Scott caught up to her easily as she rounded the street corner. “How long are you planning on staying here?” He grabbed her elbow and swung her around to face him.
She stared at him, not sure how to respond. “A month. Six weeks? However long it takes.”
“I won’t fire you for a month. You let me stay at the apartment for four weeks and I’ll let you keep your job. Deal?”
She watched the fall breeze play with the waves of his hair. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he looked as if he didn’t have a care in the world. His jeans hugged the strong muscles of his legs and his faded flannel shirt was unbuttoned enough to reveal a small patch of hair on his chest. Every part of him was the essence of cool.
A Brevia Beginning Page 5
