Her Irresistible Troublemaker (A Town Named Eden Book 3) (22 page)

No, she wouldn’t…

But if she did, Lexie decided she would do her best to convince her to reconsider. There were too many signs of happiness in her sister for her to give up now and return to the job that had driven her away. She didn’t want to let go of the new Maggie because without her, this new phase in her life wouldn’t be half as much fun.

Lexie knew she had to count her lucky stars. Both Ava and Maggie excelled at ceasing the day—a quality Lexie aspired to having, but first she’d have to stop worrying about what her parents might think. Despite acting like a rebellious second child, she actually cared and wanted her parents to be proud of her or at least think she had her head screwed on right.

Approval, she reminded herself, meant towing the line. She hadn’t been doing much of that lately. Yes, she was living in interesting times.

Lexie glanced at her other traveling companion.

Jack was supposed to be putting the finishing touches to his ultra modern building before moving on to his next blank canvas. Now, he’d found his way to Eden, and the day before she had kissed him. She wondered why she’d tagged that last bit on. Possibly, because all this time she’d been working toward freeing herself from a mistake that had landed her in hospital. She couldn’t afford to make another mistake. This wasn’t the time to let nature take its course…

At twenty-three she hadn’t known what she wanted out of a relationship. At twenty-five years of age… it wasn’t so much that she knew what she wanted, but rather that she knew what would happen if she made room for Jack in her life.

She wouldn’t be able to let him go.

She’d be devastated when he moved on as he was bound to do. He might not be interested in a relationship today, but everyone changed, everyone experienced turning points in their lives. If she settled for friendship now, she’d have to prepare for the ultimate blow—watching from the sidelines as Jack moved on and found someone else.

On the other hand, if she ceased the opportunity now, what would she want out of it?

A swirl of emotion tightened her throat. Right at that minute, without thinking too much about it and obsessing about pros and cons, she wanted everything.

“Jack.”

“Mm?”

“I’m not sorry I kissed you.”

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. She waited for him to respond. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him clearing his throat.

“You should say something… right about now.” Her heart raced. She didn’t understand her panic. He’d started it. He’d kissed her. He’d triggered her response… “Okay, you don’t want to talk about it. But eventually, you’ll have to say something because, come what may, you still owe me a few hot chocolates.” Damn it. Had he changed his mind?

* * *

“I’m… I’m driving.” But desperate to pull over and haul her against him. “Actually, where are we headed?” he asked and tried to focus on the stinging sensation of a cold shower… rolling around the snow naked...

“You’ve seen one house, you’ve seen them all. Take the next turn.”

Her tone sounded clipped. Impatient.

Jack took a deep swallow and turned his attention to the scenery. The countryside was dotted with homesteads, all set well back from the road, but even from a distance he could see they were a mishmash of styles, a combination of California bungalows, turn of the century Federation styles and the simplest forms of Victorian architecture. While most dwellings were made of clapboard, there were a few standout exceptions built of blue stone, probably sourced from nearby quarries.

As directed, he made the turn. They left the open road behind and wound their way along a shady wooded section with occasional breaks in the thick forest giving glimpses of a shimmery lake.

“Now what?”

“Make a turn at the next bend.”

“Private property,” he read.

“It’s my parents’ place. And you can relax. I’m not bringing you to meet them. I thought you might want to see the house,” she said barely waiting for the truck to come to a full stop before flinging the passenger door open and jumping out.

Jack took his time, sweeping his gaze around the lush garden and the Federation-era style house and away from Lexie who stood with her back to him. She looked as relaxed as a tiger pacing around its cage. Was she mad at him?

“My great-grandparents built it as a country retreat. Then it was passed over to my grandparents and when they decided the house was too big for them, my parents bought it and added the wrap around veranda. You can see the lake from the back.”

“It’s a beautiful house.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode up to her.

“It used to be white but mom wanted it to blend in with the landscape so she had it painted green. Over the years she’s changed it from light to a darker green… now she’s thinking of going light again. She’s been committed to the same man for over thirty years and yet she can’t commit to a color…”

“Lexie.”

She stopped and looked at him, her expression guarded but he could see hints of exasperation.

“In everything else, she’s quick as a whip decisive, but not when it comes to choosing the color for the house. Go figure.”

“I’m not sorry I kissed you either.”

“It’s not a big deal. And I don’t know why I even brought it up.”

Probably because, like him, she’d been thinking of nothing else. “Why do you think I came to Eden?” Jack cupped her face and watched her eyes grow heavy with the same need he felt surging through him. Then he pressed his mouth to hers, the gentle caress building until he was kissing her with purpose, claiming her mouth as thoroughly as he planned on claiming her body. He went from hanging off the edge of a cliff, holding on by the tips of his fingers, to letting go and freefalling.

His heart pounded all the way up to his throat. “Unless you know of a secluded spot in the area, we’ll have to drive back into town—”

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

“No?”

“There are reasons why I… why we shouldn’t...”

“Are you thinking about them now?”

“I’m trying to remember what they are.”

“So if I keep kissing you, you won’t be able to concentrate.”

Her eyes opened. “You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would.”

“I’m already finding it impossible to concentrate.” Her lips curved into a smile that traveled all the way up to her eyes. “Did I forget to mention there’s no one home?”

He took her hand and drew her toward the front door. “Lead the way.”

“Third door on the right,” she said and produced the front door key.

Once inside, he swirled her into his arms. What he couldn’t say with words, he said with a long, lingering kiss as they moved toward her bedroom.

“It’s a single bed.”

“We’ll make it work.”

“I feel like a teenager sneaking a boy into my room,” she said against his lips before she pushed away from him and climbed onto the bed.

“I don’t need more verbal prompts to get excited.”

“Okay.” She slipped her blouse off one shoulder then took her time teasing one button loose at a time. “How about a few visual ones.”

“That works for me.”

* * *

When his shirt came off she had a second to admire the view before he pressed her against him. Lexie wanted to complain, but skin to skin worked just as well for her.

“I keep thinking there are reasons why we shouldn’t do this,” the words whispered against his mouth.

“I’ll do my best to make you forget them.”

Even if she tried, she couldn’t pull away. Thinking took a back seat, clearing the way for sensations. Their hands touched and delved, their mouths tasted and teased. He claimed her, with one stroke of his hand at a time. And when she thought she couldn’t hold herself upright, he maneuvered her against the bed head. She threw her head back, her veins flooding with the intensity of wanting him inside her.

Lexie refused to beg. Instead, she demanded with every inch of her body. He’d come prepared but it took him a couple of attempts to remember in which pocket he’d stashed his condom. Once in place, he finally caved in to her demands and plunged inside her. The fact she’d been both needy and ready for him spoke volumes.

As he began moving inside her, their breaths caught, their gazes locked and for a wild moment she thought nothing in her entire experience had ever felt so perfect.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Will you leave now?”

Jack followed Lexie’s gaze as it wandered around his face. She looked satiated, the corner of her lips curved into a smile, her eyes bright... “You want privacy? I think we’re past it now. We’ve just had sex.” He chuckled under his breath and only then realized her words had glinted with steel.

She pressed her lips against his chest. “Leave as in hit the road Jack and return to Melbourne.”

Stumped for any thought that made sense, he blurted out the obvious. “Are you having seconds thoughts?”

She smiled. “Oh, no. I don’t regret this one bit.”

“But you’re still serious.”

“It’s a small town, Jack. Everyone already assumes we’re together. If word reaches my parents…” She brushed her hand across her face. “It’ll complicate my life.”

Before he’d met Lexie, Jack had been trying to keep his life free of complications. And then, out of sheer necessity, he’d drawn her right into his personal maelstrom, reluctantly at first, but if he had to be honest, attraction had played a big role. He would have done anything to be near her.

“Have you heard about shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted?”

She pressed her hand against his chest. “I ceased the moment. This was impulsive. Obsessive. Careless. With a little bit of crazy thrown in. But it’s never too late to step back and re-evaluate.” She pushed out a long breath. “Don’t get me wrong, Jack. I’m experiencing a Christmas morning giddiness…”

Leave? Now?

Reason told him to argue in favor of the fun they could have together, but his pride had been slashed to shreds.

She was done with him.

He’d turned his back on every decision he’d made since his break-up with Juliette because he hadn’t wanted to miss out on the possibility of having something good… something extraordinary with Lexie. So far, he hadn’t been disappointed. Sure, he’d been overwhelmed and at times baffled. But overall, he’d enjoyed every moment he’d spent with her. How could she want him to walk away now?

He pushed himself as far away from her as he could without falling off the small bed and mouthed the words she’d spoken so blithely. He understood the complicated part, but… Careless. Impulsive…

“I knew this would happen,” she said turning on her back and staring up at the ceiling. “Why didn’t I dive into my think tank before speaking?”

“Spontaneous words usually spell out the truth.” Despite denying it, asking him to leave pointed at second thoughts and regrets.

“Look, we bumper-car collided. This was inevitable. I’ve been attracted to you since the start but this isn’t the time or the place—”

“I did suggest going back to the pub.”

“That’s not what I meant. This… as in Eden. You here—”

“Say no more.” Because she’d already said enough and he needed time to digest it all. He rolled off the bed and snatched his clothes off the floor, his lips pressed together. He’d ride through the moment but wouldn’t make it worse by saying something he couldn’t take back.

* * *

Lexie could kick herself. Half an hour before she’d been on the brink of spitting the dummy. When she’d mentioned their kiss, she’d put her pride on the line and Jack had ignored her. But then he’d taken action. Typical male.

She raked her fingers through her hair. She’d needed clarity. An explanation. Words that made sense. Words that explained why two people who’d already decided to be friends should suddenly want to rip each other’s clothes off. Never mind that a part of her had been thinking of nothing else since meeting him. But she’d kept herself under control. Now they’d taken that huge step…

She should be rejoicing. Instead, she’d gone into damage control.

How could she learn to cease the moment when she insisted on reviewing and revising her actions?

She’d had her ducks lined up in a neat row. Deal with Maggie and her parents first. Get her new project off the ground. Then… return to Melbourne and to Jack and to her fantasies.

That kiss had a lot to answer for.

It had completely derailed her plans and mentioning it had been a major misstep, one prompted by that morning’s decision to end what they’d started before she got in too deep.

If it had been an accidental kiss, then reason had told her they could decide to deal with it by moving back to where they’d been, no harm done. But it had been real, hence the romp in her bedroom. Although, how they’d gone from a fake relationship to the sort of kissing that ignited a ball of fire continued to elude her.

What now? More damage control?

Honesty had driven her to spend half hour naked in his arms. Why deny herself the experience? If she ever questioned her actions again, that would be her reasoning.

Sex with Jack had been a revelation as all good sex should be. There had been nothing polite about it. Even thinking about it made her quiver and break into a lusty rush of heat. Getting naked with him should have been awkward, but once his shirt and her blouse had come off, a sense of urgency had taken over and it had spiked with every touch, every caress…

Honesty had also compelled her to ask him to leave.

If he hang around, her parents would find out, and when they did, they would impose their expectations on her. Surely he could understand that and appreciate her efforts to put a safe distance between him and her parents.

If only they’d waited until they’d both returned to Melbourne, then everything could have played out without anyone finding out.

“You’re upset with me.” Lexie slid off the bed and went into automatic drive, putting her clothes back on while she tried to find a transition between being intimate with Jack and resuming what they’d had—

Oh, crap.

Had she lost her hot chocolate privileges?

“No.”

“No, you’re not upset but you’re feeling something else?”

The edge of his lip lifted. As he tucked his shirt into his pants, he looked around her bedroom, his eyes bouncing from one cut-out picture to another. Her mother had tried to limit the spread of images to her pin-board, but Lexie had found too much to inspire her imagination and had let it all spill onto the walls covering the pretty rosebud wallpaper with images of people and places.

“I guess this is where you spent your formative years, thinking about the life you wanted to have.”

Okay. He wanted to avoid talking about it. “My own personal springboard. The Eiffel Tower is there because I thought I might want to travel someday, but I haven’t been anywhere.”

“Not yet.”

“I’m not discounting the possibility of travel.” Paris would be a perfect destination for a honeymoon.

He dug inside his pocket and retrieved his keys. “I’m good to go.”

Her resolve crumbled. She threw her hands up in the air. “I knew I’d stuff up. I should have left well enough alone.”

“Don’t get yourself worked up about it.”

Easy enough for him to say. Her fingers curled into tight fists. Where had she gone wrong?

When she turned to look at him her legs wobbled.

She frowned. She hadn’t asked Maggie to alter and divert her life away from its predetermined course and join her in a new adventure. But it had happened and she wouldn’t change anything about it. If Maggie came to her senses and decided to return to her old life, she’d feel cheated.

She hadn’t invited Jack into her life, but since meeting him her days had brightened. Now that she’d had a taste of being with him…

She had to send him away.

It hadn’t been easy to deal with Maggie, but she had faced the challenge, taking one step at a time. Why couldn’t she do the same with Jack?

“Will talking make you feel better? I promise I’ll listen. Maybe you want to discuss… Feelings.”

She thought she heard a deep grumble in his voice. “You nearly choked on the word.”

He laughed. “Yeah.”

“Don’t worry. You’re safe. I wouldn’t know where to start. We… us… my sister, my mother, we tend to avoid talking about—” She flapped her hands as if mimicking a bird about to take flight, “Anything and everything that could expose our feelings.” As far as they were concerned, talking about feelings meant dwelling which, in turn, meant admitting failure to get something right in the first place.

Lexie sunk down on the edge of her bed. “Ava’s good at untangling my thoughts and setting me straight.” She would have suggested Lexie have fun without worrying about the consequences and that included what her parents would think and want.

“Let’s go. I’ll drive you back to town and we can give talking a whirl. If worse comes to worse, you can call Ava and I’ll call Steph, they can both talk us through it.”

She agreed only because she didn’t want him leaving on a bad note.

“Come on, we can’t risk staying here any longer. Your parents might suddenly arrive and that might set you off again.”

“Now you sound scared.”

“Cautious.”

He slid his hand around her waist. A good sign, she thought. Maybe she could still salvage the situation. But only if he agreed to leave.

“By the way, what do your parents do?”

“Mom runs the local hospital and dad’s a surgeon.”

“Handy with the scalpel. You should have mentioned it before.”

“He’s harmless. It’s my mother we’d have to worry about. She’d really like you.” She managed a smile.

“Of course she would. I’m every mother’s dream son-in-law.”

She lifted an eyebrow.

“Oh, I see.”

* * *

“I can’t leave without seeing the lake.”

Did he want to delay the inevitable?

“I’ll show you my favorite spot.” They drove out and she pointed toward a turnoff only a short distance away from her parents’ place.

When they reached the lake, they strode to the shore. “There’s a path leading from the house to the lake and the jetty. This is the public area. Maggie and I used to row down here because there are more trees near the shore. I was ten when I first swung off that tree and dove into the lake. I’d picked out another tree but Maggie decided this one would be safer because the branches hang further out. It sort of took some of the fun out of it.”

“She’s the cautious one.”

Lexie nodded. “Everyone should have a sister like her. Or a brother. I’m going to have three kids, just to be safe. One boy, two girls. Or two boys and a girl. I still haven’t decided which would be better.” And she had no idea why she needed to share what might turn out to be an elusive dream.

Jack stooped down and picked up a couple of pebbles. “Kids?” he asked running his fingers over the smooth surface of the pebbles, his gaze skimming across the lake. “You want kids?”

“Sure. Some day. My business is about to expand, so I’ll be busy for the next couple of years, but then… who knows.”

“I thought Lulu McGee wasn’t into marriage.”

Her brows narrowed. “You know about her?”

“Steph enlightened me. And if she hadn’t, I would have found out about her last night. Your impersonations were amusing.”

“When were you going to tell me?”

“Isn’t that what I should be asking you?”

“So all this time you were happy to play along with Maggie calling herself Lulu and pretend you didn’t know I wrote a cartoon strip.”

“And you played right along. I figured if you wanted me to know you’d tell me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess we’ve both been deceptive.”

Deceptive? “I didn’t lie.” But what lies had he been feeding her?

“You withheld the truth. Why?”

“Because—” She’d been at the receiving end of disapproval all her life and she’d been afraid of what he’d think. Her comic strip meant too much to her to have it exposed to ridicule. She’d wanted… needed to protect Lulu. “You’re right. I should have told you. But it was a harmless omission.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

“Eventually, it would have made its way into our conversation. I’m sure of it.”

His eyebrow remained arched.

She was tempted to see how long he could hold it. “You’re one to talk.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Well, I’m sure you haven’t told me everything about yourself. For instance…” she tapped her foot. “Why did Juliette dump you?”

His shoulder lifted and fell. “My change of career didn’t suit her.”

“Aha!” She pointed an accusatory finger at him.

“What?”

“You never told me you’d had a different job.”

“It never came up.”

“So it’s okay for you to withhold information. I think that’s called a double standard.” He didn’t hold his smile for long. “Dare I ask what you did before you became a builder?”

“I was in banking.”

No wonder he’d looked so good in a suit.

“She dumped you for that? There has to be a better reason. Did you maybe torture her pet tortoise?”