Avoiding Commitment (11 page)

She liked the sound of that. “How do you plan
on doing that?” she asked cocking her head to the side and trying
to keep the flirtation out of her voice, but damn that was hard to
do.

“I’ve got a few ideas,” he said, a smirk
appearing on his face. “I think you’ll like them.”

“I’m sure I would,” she mumbled, images of
him kissing her senseless appearing before her eyes.

“I think we’re back to square one. Why don’t
you come and stay with me tonight?” She looked helplessly up at
him. He could tell that he was wearing her down. She wanted to say
yes.

Just then a hand snaked around her waist from
behind and a head nuzzled into her neck. “Hey babe, I’ve been
looking for you all over. I thought you were going to stay at the
bar,” Spencer said leaving one last kiss on her neck before
straightening and turning towards her.

She stared at him dumbstruck. “I…uh,” Lexi
stammered.

“Did Chasity give you anything else?” he
asked with concern evident in his voice. “You’re not going to be
sick are you?”

“Oh, well…” she began fumbling for words. “I
just ran into a friend.”

Spencer glanced up and looked around
completely ignoring Jack who was standing directly in front of
them. “Where did she go?”

Lexi couldn’t help laughing out loud. “No,
no, this is my friend,” she said gesturing to Jack, but being
careful not to touch him as she directed Spencer’s attention
towards him.

He glanced at Jack uncomfortably. She could
tell that Spencer wasn’t too happy that this was her friend, but
regardless he stuck his hand out. “I’m Spencer.”

Jack took his hand in his own and gave a
quick squeeze. Lexi saw the smirk cross his face. “Jack.”

Spencer looked between Jack and Lexi
awkwardly. “Sorry if I was looking for a chick, but, well, I don’t
think I’ve ever heard her mention you before.”

“Not surprising. We haven’t seen each other
in a really long time,” Jack said. “Anyway, I’ve got to get out of
here. My friends were just heading out when I ran into you. I’m
gonna go catch up with them.”

“Alright. Nice meeting you, man,” Spencer
said putting a deliberately protective arm across Lexi’s
shoulders.

“Likewise, I’m sure,” Jack responded, that
smirk never leaving his face. “I’ll see you around, Lex.”

She watched his departing back, sad that he
didn’t even give her a backwards glance. Had that really just
happened? She couldn’t be sure, but all of a sudden she felt
terribly uncomfortable in Spencer’s grasp.

“I thought you didn’t like being called Lex,”
Spencer said turning to face her and sliding his other arm around
her.

Lexi smiled. “I don’t.”

CHAPTER 5

PRESENT

Navy blue covers crinkled and scrunched
around Lexi’s lithe form, and a down pillow lay crushed against her
chest. One bare leg was revealed while her feet remained tangled in
the matching sheets. A sharp knock on the door roused her from her
reverie, and she buried her face farther into the pillow. The door
creaked open uninvited. “Lex, it’s time to get up,” Jack whispered
into the darkness.

“Nuh uh,” she grumbled shaking her head
against the pillow.

“I thought you could use a shower,” he said
flipping the light switch and holding up a white fluffy towel. “I
realized that I washed all the towels before I left so there aren’t
any in the bathroom. But if you don’t want it,” he said tauntingly,
waving the towel back and forth in front of his face.

Her head popped up from the comfort of the
pillow, and she looked at him groggily. They had been up way too
late and her eyes weren’t happy with the early morning wake-up. She
flipped over on her back and leaned back against her elbows giving
her eyes time to focus. “What are you going to do?” she asked
stifling a yawn. “I don’t mind walking around naked...and wet.” She
bit her lip at her own suggestive behavior.

She successfully elicited her desired
reaction from Jack. He tried to stay calm, but she had known him
long enough to be able to interpret his subtle movements. His eyes
bulged as they crawled down her body, his imagination running away
with him. He licked his lips as he thought of her wet, naked form
sauntering around his apartment...or in his shower...or on his
bed...or pretty much anywhere. His chest rose and fell irregularly,
and the crotch of his pants jumped just a little bit, just enough
for her to notice. He gulped uneasily. “Uh...yeah...well then, I
guess you’ll need this,” he stammered walking into the room, and
placing the towel at the foot of the bed, trying not to show his
arousal. Then, he quickly turned to leave before he did anything he
might regret...or she might tell his girlfriend.

“Jack,” she said stopping his exit. She
kicked the sheet to the foot of the bed and stretched out arching
her back. He just stared at her hungrily. She was so bad.

“Uh...yeah?” he asked his hands clenched in
fists at his side.

“Things aren’t going to be awkward today
after you know...last night, are they?” she questioned him, sitting
up and hugging her knees to her chest.

“No, things will be fine...normal.” She
wasn’t sure what normal was for them. Normal could be
so
many different things. “You look concerned.”

“It’s just...you did tell your girlfriend you
were coming back last night, right? She knew I was staying here?”
Lexi asked watching his eyes shift uncomfortably.

“Well...”

“You didn’t tell her,” she said interpreting
his behavior once again. “As I thought.”

“No. I couldn’t tell her. She wouldn’t
understand why I’d let you do that.”

“That’s funny. I don’t understand either,”
she said still staring him down waiting for his eyes to meet
hers.

When they finally did, she could tell he was
just as confused about his actions as she was. “Can we just talk
about this later?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, sure. But you’ll explain
it later, right?”

“I’ll always be honest with you, Lex,” he
said before exiting the room, pulling the door closed behind
him.

Lexi threw her head back against the covers
and smiled half-heartedly up at the ceiling. Yep, things were going
to be
way
awkward.

She quickly showered and diffused her loose
curls. She unzipped her suitcase and stared at the different
outfits she had planned for the day. A brown sundress she knew
would go perfectly with her golden tan. Blue and white striped
seersucker shorts coupled with a white tank top would have the same
effect, but she was as indecisive as ever. Did she want to be cute
and friendly like she
should
be or would she rather dress a
bit sexier? After a moment longer, she opted for the shorts combo.
No need to dress the part Kate had drawn her to be.

“You can’t wear that,” Jack said, entering
the room without knocking.

“I could have been naked,” she cried.

He smirked. “Yep,” he said cheerfully, “looks
like I waited too long.”

She scowled at him. “
Anyway
…why can’t
I wear this?” she asked gesturing to her outfit. “I think I look
good.”

“Plans just changed. Unfortunately, we’re
going to the Country Club.”

Lexi crinkled her nose up at him. “Why are we
doing that? I thought you said we were going to get brunch, some
much needed coffee, and then get this ridiculous conversation over
with,” she mumbled the last part under her breath.

“I just got off the phone with Bekah, and
there was some miscommunication with her parents.”

“And?” Lexi asked clearly irritated.

“And we have to postpone our afternoon
engagement.” Lexi sighed, not a good choice of words. “She thought
her parents were having their monthly Club brunch next weekend, but
she just found out it’s today.”

“Okay, well, you have fun with that,” Lexi
said taking a seat on top of the bed stubbornly.

“Come on. I can’t leave you. I already told
Bekah that you made it here. She’d find it weird if I didn’t bring
you along.”

“Jack, I’m not going to some snooty country
club with your girlfriend and her parents! How would you explain
me? How would you explain why I’m here?”

“Lex, please,” he whined. She just glared
harder. No way was he winning this. She had made the mistake of
going home with Jennifer, her college dorm mate, for a weekend at
the Club her freshman year of college. She had been completely
humiliated when the rude, stuck-up, rich members found out that her
parents weren’t wealthy. She had utterly refused to go back. A
repeat performance was not something she ever wanted to endure.

“No! You can forget it.”

“It will be easy. I’ll just tell them that
you’re an old friend of mine who’s here from out of town...which
you are,” he added. “We don’t have to give them details. They don’t
give a shit about anyone else besides themselves anyway.”

“Oh, that’s
real
comforting,” she spat
back at him.

He strode across the room and stood directly
in front of her. “You know what I mean. They aren’t going to care
who you are or where you’re from as long as you are with the right
people.”

She tilted her head up to look into his face.
“And
you’re
the right people?”

He nodded. “Bekah is the right people.”

Lexi’s stomach rolled at that sound. All she
could picture about this girl was some blonde bimbo following
daddy’s orders and spending daddy’s money. And, yes, she was
certain Bekah was blonde. Jack
always
dated blondes. Not to
mention, her parents were Country Clubbers. She groaned at the
thought. No wonder Bekah was so worried about her parents cutting
her off from their finances. “I’m not going,” she said crossing her
arms and legs at the same time and putting on a determined
face.

“Okay, alright, I can’t make you,” he said
throwing his hands up. “I’ll call her back and tell her you can’t
make it. It would just be for a couple hours, but...whatever.” He
turned to walk out of the room.

Lexi shook her head from side to side arguing
with herself. Did she really come all this way just to bicker with
him? She had come here for him...even if she didn’t really want to
admit it. She might as well go along with his charade. “Jack,” she
said standing up and catching his arm before he exited.

“Look, Lex, I get it. You’re a different
person and blah, blah, blah. But come on, the direction you’re
going in life, you could be one of these people someday. I mean,
what’s the worst that could happen? You could make some useful
connections if you decide to head back to the South?” he asked
speaking roughly to her. “So stop spouting bullshit. I know why you
don’t want to go. I remember what happened with Jennifer. I thought
you were better than letting one bad experience cloud your
judgment.”

Her jaw clenched as she listened to him rant.
She didn’t want to hear any of this. “Ok. Ok. Jesus Christ, Jack,
just shut up.” He paused and looked at her expectantly. For a
second, she got lost in his gaze. His baby blues clouded over with
grey as he let anger take him over. Something about that stare
froze her in place.

“Lex?” he asked. She hadn’t even realized he
had been speaking. “Were you going to say something or just stare
at me?” he asked amused.

“Oh. Oh yeah,” Lexi mumbled recovering. “I
was just going to say that I’ll go with you...you know...before you
said all that shit.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” she said shifting her weight
uncomfortably.

“Well, then, you better change.”

Lexi glared at him. “Are we back here?”

“Well, now that you’ve agreed, you have to
change,” he snapped, but his anger was gone. He actually looked
bemused that she had caved so easily. She tried to not let that
shake her.

Lexi changed tactics. “And what would
you
like to see me in?” she asked cocking her head to the
side and looking at him from beneath her side-swept bangs. The
flirtatiousness in her voice was evident, but this was how she and
Jack worked. They argued. They made up. They fucked...oh wait...she
meant flirted. Damn it!

“We don’t have time for that.” She glanced up
at him innocently. “Or that. Now, go put on a sundress. You brought
heels right?”

Lexi shrugged. “Fine, whatever, but you know
you owe me, right?”

“I always repay my debts. Now go,” he said
pushing her into the room. She could imagine this conversation if
they were together. He would kiss her softly on the mouth and smack
her ass as she went to change. He would follow her and ravish her
body before they departed for their afternoon together. She sighed.
Then again if they
were
together, he wouldn’t dare drag her
to a stupid Country Club. Oh yeah, and that whole girlfriend
problem.

Lexi poured over her dress options. The brown
sundress was too short for a Country Club especially if she was
going as a guest. That left her to decide between a strapless ivory
eyelet dress with a salmon-colored satin belt and a bright green
spaghetti strap number that billowed out around her knees.
Frustration started to take over as her indecision intensified. She
didn’t really want to go to this brunch, and the fact that she had
to put so much effort into her outfit made it even worse. Finally,
she threw on the ivory dress with a pair of brown peep-toe mules
leaving the green dress for a less judgmental audience.

“Ready?” Jack asked as she entered the living
room. He looked as gorgeous as ever. A rather expensive, as she
could judge by the quality, baby blue button-up fit him perfectly
even cutting in a bit at the waist to make him look leaner. A
tri-colored blue, black, and silver tie hung from his neck to his
light grey dress pants. The shirt brought out the blue of his eyes,
and when they rested on her, they seemed to be a million times more
intense than normal. She wasn’t sure if that was because of her or
not.