My Kinda Mess - eBook

by Lacey Black

  I start to pant. Seriously, I’m suddenly wanting everything he just said, everything I’m now picturing very vividly in my mind. “Sign me up.” The words are out of my mouth before I can even think about stopping them.

  Linkin gives me a knowing smirk as his hands caress my jaw. “Soon, Firecracker. Very soon. Tonight, I’m going to give you a proper date.”

  “Somehow, you seem more like a sex-on-the-first-date kinda guy,” I quip as we start to walk towards the old red door.

  His low chuckle renders my panties useless. “I’m more of a hardly-date-at-all kinda guy.”

  “So, it’s usually just sex?” I ask, stopping in front of the door.

  “Usually.”

  “What makes me different?” I ask, my voice breathy and choppy.

  “Everything,” he whispers, leaning forward and planting his lips on my own. The kiss is firm and warm and rekindles the blaze in my body that always seems eager and ready to flare to life when Linkin’s near. It’s the perfect kiss.

  “That’s kinda cheesy, Mr. Stone,” I sass as he nibbles on my swollen bottom lip.

  “I’ve never wanted to have a baby with another woman before in my life,” he whispers, his breath fanning across my face. “What does that tell you?”

  “That you’re horny?”

  He chuckles again. “I find myself in a perpetual state of arousal when it comes to you, but no. That’s not the answer,” he says, leaning back but still holding my jaw.

  “What’s the answer?” I ask, staring at him, gaging the sincerity of his words.

  “I could have a baby with anyone, sweetness, but I’ve never offered before, nor have I ever really pictured myself as a dad. But with you? I. Want. Everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Mmmhmmm,” he says, rubbing his nose against mine. “I’m going to prove to you that I’m the only baby daddy for your future child. Wanna know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because for the first time in my life, I can see myself as a father. But more than that, I can picture myself by your side.”

  I shudder at his words and the implication. I open my mouth, but no words come out.

  “Come on. Let’s go inside and eat. We don’t have to figure anything out tonight, but I want you to know that I’m serious about this, Lex. I feel something different when I’m with you, and have from the moment I watched you hand Levi his ass in the hallway that morning,” he replies with a smile. I chuckle as I recall that morning when I chewed Levi’s ass in the hallway of their apartment building for breaking my twin sister’s heart. Linkin was there, watching the exchange, and pushing my buttons until I was ready to claw his eyes out as soon as I was finished with Levi.

  “I’m starving,” I concede, reaching for the door handle.

  “Me too,” he says as he grabs the door from me and holds it open. His eyes skate down my body and there’s no missing the appreciative look in his eyes. “For food too,” he adds with a wink and ushers me inside.

  I’m pretty sure he just stole a little piece of my heart.

  Chapte

  r Fourteen

  Linkin

  I’ve been hard since she opened her front door and it hasn’t let up. I haven’t ridden with a hard-on since I was eighteen and took the head cheerleader for a ride in the country. And my bike wasn’t the only thing she rode.

  Lexi heads to the back of the little dive restaurant, finding a booth beneath an old mismatched light. “This okay?” she asks.

  “Perfect,” I answer, sliding into the bench across from her.

  An older woman arrives at our booth a minute later and takes our drink order. I stick with a coke, while Lexi orders a sweet tea. The menu is an old plastic one-sheeter with bent and peeling corners.

  “Have you ever eaten here?” she asks, glancing at the options on the menu.

  “Nope. I’ve heard about this place a few times and always wanted to try it. This seemed like the perfect choice.”

  “I haven’t been here in years. Chris didn’t like it. If it didn’t have cloth napkins and a wine list, he thought it was beneath him,” she mumbles, rolling her eyes as she keeps them focused on the menu in her hands.

  “But this kinda place is right up your alley,” I state. It’s not a question. She’s given me glances of the real Lexi over the last couple of weeks, and she seems like the type of woman who likes messes and laughter and doesn’t mind dirty dishes in the sink.

  She glances up at makes eye contact. “Yeah, it is. Sorry to bring him up. That’s not very good first date etiquette.”

  “You’re fine. I want to get to know the real you, not the woman you had to become to please someone else.”

  She stares at me intently, her green eyes searching my face, before nodding her head. “I love waffles with fresh strawberries, wearing no shoes in the yard, and comic books, though I haven’t read one in years.”

  “Comic books, you say?” I lean in closer until my nose is close to hers, I whisper, “I once owned The Amazing Spider-Man number sixteen, signed by Stan Lee, graded 4.5.”

  Her gasp goes straight to my groan. “September 1964. Not a widely popular version, but signed by the master would bump up the value.”

  “I got six hundred bucks for it,” I tell her.

  “Why did you sell it?” she questions, her green eyes searching mine.

  I stumble on the words that I need to say, but I fight through it. “Needed the cash.”

  Ain’t that the truth? When my mom found out I sold the one comic book I worked extra shifts at the garage in high school to buy, she was pissed. But I needed to fix the mess we were in more than I needed a signed Spider-Man comic book.

  Lexi tsks. “That’s too bad.”

  I just shrug my shoulders and lean back in the booth. My shoulders are tense, so I extend one arm across the back of the booth just to give off a casual appearance. The way her eyes study me, I wonder just how much of my demeanor my fiery little Lexi can read. She gives me a look like she knows I’m anything but relaxed, but thankfully, she doesn’t call me on it.

  After we both order crab legs with shrimp scampi, I get comfy and just watch her. She’s messing with her paper napkin, curling the corners around her finger and then flattening it out again. She looks deep in thought, but there’s a hint of a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

  “So tell me, have you always wanted to be a hairdresser?”

  “Always. When I was a kid, I used to love fiddling with all of my sisters’ hair.”

  “Same with me and the garage. I started tinkering around with car parts, engines and transmissions, at an early age. Gettin’ greasy just kinda called to me.”

  “I like that about you,” she says quietly, her eyes locked on mine.

  “That I’m a grease monkey?”

  “That you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.”

  I have a feeling it has a lot more to do with the fact that her ex received weekly manicures than anything else. The fact that I’m the polar opposite from the douche probably has a lot to do with it.

  “Can I stop by sometime?” she asks.

  “The shop?” I ask, arching my eyebrows in question.

  “Yeah. It’s just…” she hesitates like she’s embarrassed. Needing to calm her nervousness, and also overcome by the need to touch her skin, I reach forward and grab her hand.

  “What?” I hedge.

  “It’s just…that I like the smell.” Her words are almost inaudible.

  I might have almost missed her words, but I don’t miss the meaning.

  And neither does my cock.

  “The smell?” I ask, fighting a grin.

  “Grease. Dirt. Gas. The smell of fresh rubber just laid on asphalt.”

  “I think I just came in my pants,” I groan, deadpanned. That comment earns me an instant smile.

  “Of course you did. You’re a total guy.”

  “Yes, yes I am. B
ut to answer your question, yes, you can come by the shop anytime. Just let me know when so I can make sure I’m extra greasy that day,” I quip with a wink.

  Our food arrives a few moments later and we continue to engage in small talk. I’ve discovered that she’s very close to her family. Even though I met them all at lunch the other day and witnessed it firsthand, listening to her talk about her sisters over dinner just reinforces the fact that they’re tight.

  “I can’t believe I’m telling you all this,” she says, setting her napkin down on her empty plate and pushing it away.

  “Uh, your Grandma has had her hands all over my ass. I’m pretty sure that skyrockets me to the front of the line where personal information is concerned.”

  “True. God, I’m so sorry about that. All of it,” she whispers, her face blushing slightly.

  “Believe it or not, you don’t work at a bar without having a hand or two grope you, though I’d add your grandma is definitely the oldest set of hands on my body.”

  “Poor Linkin. All the women wanting to touch your ass,” she sasses.

  “It’s a nice ass,” I reiterate.

  “Ehhhh,” she replies with a shrug as if it’s no big deal. But I see through her casual front. I don’t miss the way her eyes dilate and she nibbles on the corner of her bottom lip. Lexi’s looking at me like I’m dessert and she’s suddenly famished.

  When the check comes, I take care of paying for it, leave a generous tip, and lead her towards my bike. It’s probably the last time I’ll be able to ride it until spring, though the cold doesn’t scare me any. But I don’t want Lexi catching a cold because I’ve got her out on my bike in December.

  The ride back to town takes a little extra time, since I actually drive the speed limit the entire way. I don’t want this ride to end any sooner than it has to. Besides, I’m totally digging having Lexi wrapped around my back, her body pressed firmly against mine. It’s a sensation I could definitely get used to.

  I pull the bike into the shed, and swear I hear her sigh in sadness. My little firecracker definitely has a wild streak in her. I knew taking my bike tonight would be right up her alley, and the twinkle I saw in her eyes and the excitement I heard doesn’t disappoint. It’s been a great first date.

  One that would only end even better with a kiss.

  Holding the bike steady, Lexi hops off and works on the chinstrap. “Here,” I say, pulling my gloves off and tossing them onto the seat. Smiling, I release the little leather strap and let my fingers linger just a few extra seconds.

  “I could have gotten it. Why are you grinning like a fool?” she asks, pulling the helmet from her head. My wayward cock takes notice of the way her hair is all tousled and looks like she just crawled out of bed. After sex. With me.

  “I know you could have gotten it,” I say, sliding my fingers down the chilled skin of her throat and leaning forward until I can feel her breath against my lips. “But I like putting my hands on you,” I whisper with a wink.

  Her hand slips easily within my big mitt as I gather up the helmets and lock up the shed. We’re both quiet as we head into the apartment building and wait for the elevator. It’s not uncomfortable, not like I would think, and a big part of that is who I’m with. Everything just seems easy when we’re together.

  The closer we get to our floor, the quicker my heart starts to beat. Not surprising, I don’t want the date to end. Can you believe that? My first date in I don’t really recall how long and I’m wishing I could turn back the clock and start our evening all over again, just so I can spend more time with her.

  The subtle ding of the elevator alerts me that we’ve reached our destination. As the door opens, I finally find my voice. “I had a great time.”

  Those stunning eyes gaze up at me, sparkling as best as they can beneath the dim fluorescent lighting in the hallway. “Me too.”

  “Are you surprised?” I ask, stepping out into the hallway, her hand still firmly in my own.

  “Not really,” she says with a smile and I swear to all things holy my chest tightens painfully. My heart is going to burst through my chest. We’re both staring at each other smiling like lunatics.

  Finally, I pull my attention away from her and towards her door. “Did you order flowers?” I ask, stopping in my tracks.

  Lexi bumps into my arm. “Shit,” she mumbles, her small hand gripping my much bigger one.

  “Friend of yours?” I ask, as we slowly make our way towards the bouquet as if it were a bomb.

  “Chris,” she whispers, the edge very evident in her voice.

  “Ahhh. Should have known.”

  “I hate them,” she grumbles, releasing my hand. I feel the loss instantly.

  Lexi holds the large grouping of red roses like they’re going to scare her. I’ll give it to the douchey fucker, it’s an over-the-top display that women generally fawn over. The sweet fragrance fills the entire hallway, and if I had to wager a guess, based on the size of the vase that looks like a bucket, I’d say there’s easily four dozen here. But Lexi isn’t fawning. No, she looks like she wants to chuck them at the wall, and I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me just a wee bit happy.

  “You hate them?” I ask, glancing down at the arrangement.

  “Hate,” she says with venom, shoving the vase into my hands. Shit, this is heavier than it looks. “I even told him that once, but does he listen? Nope. He thinks every woman loves red roses, so I must love them,” she says, digging her key out of her pocket with a little force. “Well, I do not love them. I never did. Every time he sent them, I wanted to send them back.”

  Lexi glances over at me, her eyes wide as her irritation transforms into embarrassment. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”

  “Why?” I ask.

  “I can’t believe I just went off like that. We’re on a date.” Her green eyes fall to the floor.

  “You don’t like these?” I confirm, holding them out as I wait for confirmation. She shakes her head and my feet start to move.

  I’m down across from my door before I can even stop myself. I knock and wait. Mrs. Lehman opens the door in her little ol’ lady pajamas and robe. “Hey, Mrs. L. These were delivered by mistake to my neighbor’s place. She’s allergic so she can’t bring them into her place. Mind taking them off our hands?”

  “Really?” the elderly neighbor says, her eyes lighting up behind crooked wire-rimmed glasses.

  “Absolutely. These beauties are all yours,” I encourage, nodding towards her table. She steps aside and watches me set the grossly large display in the middle of her table.

  “Thank you, dear.”

  “You’re welcome, Mrs. L. Have a great evening.” Throwing her a little wave, I make my way back to Lexi in the hallway. “There,” I say, throwing her a smile, hoping to soothe the look of uneasiness on her face.

  “That was…really nice of you.”

  “You were just going to throw them away, right?”

  “Yeah,” she confirms, biting her lip.

  “Well, now you’ve brightened the night of our elderly neighbor. Plus, you don’t have to stare at douchey Chris’s cheesy flowers.”

  Lexi gazes up at me, the corner of her lip turning upward. “They are totally cheesy, aren’t they?”

  “Totally.”

  She rewards me with another one of her smiles that hits me like a bolt of lightning below the belt. My hand instantly goes to her face, my finger tracing the delicate curve of her jaw. “What’s your favorite flower?” I whisper, our eyes locked.

  “Lilies. I love the white ones.”

  “Gorgeous. Just like you.”

  That sexy little tongue of hers slips out of her mouth and licks her bottom lip. My entire body is alive with want, a live wire of electricity coursing through my blood. It takes every ounce of control I can grab the hell onto to keep from throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her off to my lair, where I’ll do all sorts of pleasurable and dirty things to he
r.

  Over and over and over again.

  Preferably on her kitchen table.

  Or maybe against the wall.

  “Would you like to come inside?” she asks, breaking the dirty scene I was working on in my head.

  “For a minute,” I reply. Even though I’d love to pound weeks’ worth of Lexi-induced sexual frustration out on her sweet little body, it won’t happen tonight. I promised her a proper date and that doesn’t include her bouncing on my cock like a pogo stick.

  Lexi opens her apartment door and slips inside ahead of me. After setting her keys on the counter, she turns those hypnotic green eyes my way and my heart skips a beat. “I’ve been thinking,” she starts hesitantly.

  “That’s never good when a woman starts off a conversation with I’ve been thinking,” I reply lightly with a grin, even though my heart is suddenly jackhammering in my chest. I’m nervous. Fucking nervous of what she’s about to say.

  “I want to get divorced first. I can’t have this mess with Chris hanging over my head while I move forward with my plans for a baby.”

  “But there are still plans for a baby?” I ask, hopefully sounding light and casual.

  “Yes,” she confirms with a nod. “I still want a baby, but I need my divorce finalized first. In order to move on to the next chapter in my life, I need to close the book on my relationship with him forever.”

  Stepping forward, I invade her personal space and stroke the soft skin where her neck meets her jaw. “Divorce first. Sperm donation after.”

  “Yes,” she whispers harshly, a rush of breath hitting me in the chin.

  “What about kissing? Can there be kissing?”

  “Kissing is good,” she adds quickly, that sexy little tongue of hers snaking out to wet her lips expectantly.

  “Then we wait to put the next phase of your life into motion,” I say as I slide my arms around her back and bring her body against mine. “But we don’t wait for the kissing,” I confirm.

  “No, we don’t wait.”

  That’s all I need to hear before my mouth descends on hers. The kiss starts slow, savoring and oh so fucking perfect, but that only lasts a few seconds. As soon as her tongue meets mine, all bets are off. It’s like a punch of need hits me square in the gut as all thoughts are consumed with her.