Looking Out for Lexy (10 page)

             
So that was why he’d been avoiding her
.  Her eyes turned dark and stormy, as she crossed her arms tightly in front of her.  “Did he tell you I was his girl?  Because if he did, he is lying.  I haven’t been seeing him for over a month. I knew you were avoiding me and I thought maybe you were having second thoughts about...about you and me.”

             
“Well, he did press the point that you were his girl and I should stay away from you, or else.”

             
“Or else what?”  Lexy shivered slightly.

             
“Nothin’. Hey, are you ok?  You not afraid of him are you?”  He clenched his English book in his hand.

             
“No,no, I’m not afraid of him, but he can be really mean.  I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”  Looking around furtively, the pretty teenager was worried about what Tom and his gang of thugs  might do to Jack if he persisted  in seeing her.

             
“If you’re not worried then neither am I.  Has he ever touched you, I mean hurt
you
in any way?”

             
“He hasn’t hit me or anything like that.  When Tom gets mad, he likes to yell, but that is nothing I can’t...couldn’t handle.”  Lexy hesitated to say more as Jack’s eyes grew dangerously dark with doubt and anger.  A confrontation between the two boys over her was the last thing she wanted.  “Look, Jack, could we talk about this later.  After school maybe, away from here.”

             
Jack’s hand was nearly crushing his book now.  Taking her hand in his free one, he squeezed hers gently.  “Ok.  4:00 at the bench by the monkey bars.  See you then?”

             
Lexy nodded yes.  Jack suddenly broke into a grin, to her relief.  Everything would be alright.  She just knew it.  The dark-haired boy leaned over suddenly and kissed her lightly on the cheek with a
see ya soon then
.  Her hand touched the warm spot his lips had just left and her heart fluttered.  4:00 couldn’t come soon enough.

Nine

             
Jack opened the door to Lexy's suite while still kissing her neck.  Her dress had dropped even lower nearly revealing one delectable breast, the nipple taut and erect, straining against the delicate material, yearning for his touch.  Jack's hand dropped down to brush back and forth ever so lightly against it’s firmness.  Lexy moaned as he brushed the clinging fabric away, cupping her full, ripe breast.  Brushing his lips against her swollen nipple, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, gently placing her feet on the floor. 

             
Her body stiffened as he continued to stroke her cautiously.  Immediately, Jack could feel that Lexy was apprehensive.  She crossed her arms over her breasts protectively. Those beautiful breasts.  He knew that she hadn’t made love in a long time.  This would be special.  He was  in love with her innocence. 

             
He cupped her face in his hands.  His dark eyes held hers as his thumbs gently massaged her temples. “I want you Lexy.  Understand that I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you again that night at the Plaza.  I need you Lexy.  Ah, Lexy, say you want me too.”

             
His voice was low and caressing.  Lexy's eyes grew wide with uncertainty.  She didn’t doubt him for a moment.  He saw the uncertainty in the azure depths.  

             
“Don’t be afraid of me, Lexy, angel.  I may want you, but I would never hurt you,” he whispered tenderly. 

    
              “I’m not afraid.  I...I want you too.  Oh...I’m not sure what I want.  I don’t know if this is a good idea.” 

             
She was trying not to show the mixture of fear and emotion clawing in her breast.  Lexy couldn’t help herself where Jack was concerned.
Blind passion was taking over.  She leaned  back against the bed post as his mouth started exploring her shoulders. 

             
He gently pulled her arms away from her body, slowly lowering the remaining sleeve of her dress, raising his head to gaze at her bare breasts. 

             
“Ah, Sexy Lexy.  You are so beautiful.  So beautiful.  Just tell me if you want to stop Lexy, and I will.”  He whispered in a raspy voice as his hands continued to explore her rich, luscious skin.  She moaned as his mouth found her nipple again and began to voraciously suckle it.  One hand found its way out of her tangled hair and down to her other throbbing, swollen breast.  He caressed it tenderly with his palm, moving it back and forth against her aching nipple. 

             
Lexy could barely breathe as passionate thoughts gripped her unsettled mind. 
I want him to touch me.  I can't.  I need him to love me.  I won't.  No.  I have to say no.
   Lexy clutched his shoulders, pushing herself up and away.

    
              “Oh Lord, Jack,  stop.  Please, please stop.  I...I can't do this.  Jack please.”

             
Jack watcher her trembling almost uncontrollably.  She was really frightened.  Damn! He couldn’t do this.
 
What the hell had happened to her to make her so afraid?
He put his arms around her, rocking her gently.

             
“Shhhush, Lexy baby, it’s okay.  Don’t be afraid.  I’ll protect you.  I won’t hurt you.  Ever.”  He pulled her dress back up.  She was shaking like a leaf.

             
What was going on here?  This was not normal.  As far as he knew, Lexy had never been afraid of anything.

             
Lexy relaxed as Jack stroked her hair, holding her head against his chest.  In a low muffled voice, “I’m sorry Jack.  I...I just can’t.  Right now.”

             
Geez she was fragile.  All the more reason to protect her.  No.  Forget it, Wyatt.
  Jack closed his eyes and willed the flame within to extinguish.  Straightening her dress into place, he placed a celibate kiss on the top of her head.

             
“It’s all right, angel.  Get a good night’s sleep, Lexy.  I’ll see you tomorrow.” 
Angel.   He had to stop saying that. What the hell!  No heaven.  In his arms
.
 

             
“Jack?” Raising her head, Lexy looked at him, endless questions in her hazy blue eyes.

             
“Mmmmm.”

             
“You aren’t angry with me?”

             
“No.  I want you, but I can wait.  You’ll know when you’re ready Lexy.”

             
“You...You’re not angry with me...really?”

             
“Nope.  Got to go honey.  See you in the morning.”  Before he forgot his promise.

             
“Jack.  I...I’ll see you tomorrow.”  Lexy followed him to the door.

             
Turning, he gave her that smoldering, seductive smile she’d memorized over the years.  Reaching out, he touched her cheek. Then softly,  “Don’t worry Lexy.  I’ll still be here tomorrow.  You can come with me on the set if you like.  The band has a retake to do.  Might be fun for you.”

             
“Oh Jack, that sounds great.  I’d love to go.”

             
“Good.  Pick you up at eight.”  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  “Good night Lexy.”

             
Closing her door behind him, he swore softly to himself as he returned to his own suite.  Something was happening to him with her, again.  Was it good?  Bad?  Wonderful?  Lousy?  Jack wished to God he knew. 

             
Sleep.  That’s what he needed.  He would know what to do tomorrow. 
A sweet, angelic voice from long ago invaded his memory again.

             
As he stripped off his clothes and fell into bed, the taste of her skin came back to haunt him.  As if her scent of lilacs had ever left.  It was going to be a long night.

Ten

             
The park bench near the monkey bars had long been a favorite meeting place for everyone from kids to young lovers to old acquaintances.  A weeping willow draped it ancient branches over the bench that had been repainted several times over the years.  The old tree was considered a guardian of whoever sat beneath it’s feathery whips gently caressing the visitors on
it’s
pew.  The monkey bars were  several feet away rooted firmly in waves of sand that came up to the winding sidewalk that separated the old tree and itself.  Many a parent and young babysitter had spent time under the tree watching their charges play endlessly on the bars.

             
Jack stood up abruptly as Lexy came strolling into view around the corner of the elementary building.  They waved to each other in greeting as she approached.  He took her hand in his as they sat down together.  Jack thought to himself how unassumingly beautiful she looked with her wind-blown hair surrounding a flushed face.

             
“I’m sorry that I’m late.  Mr. Franks stopped me about a paper I’m doing for Advanced English.  I had to talk to him for a few minutes.  He’s my advisor for college also.”  Lexy tried to catch her breath.  She’d run from the building and had slowed down just before coming around the corner so Jack wouldn’t think she was too eager.

             
“It’s ok.  Just got here myself.”  The boy cleared his throat.  “I was wondering if I could take you out this Saturday night.  Ya know, to the movies, like a real date.  I could come and pick you up around 7:00 or so, that is if you think it would be ok with your parents.”

             
“I guess it would be ok Jack.  My parents are pretty cool.  They don’t usually have anything to say about who I date.  They probably won’t be around anyway.  Usually they are with their friends at the country club for dinner on Saturdays, so they don’t pay much attention to what I’m doing.”  She didn’t mention the fact that her parents and the Kanes were best friends and they probably would mind if it wasn’t Tom.  Her mom and dad had both been after her to mend fences with “Tommy”.  There was a lot about him they just didn’t know, and wouldn’t believe her if she told them.  Lexy had kept many things to herself, even from her friends.  And she worried about Jack.  She was really falling for him and didn’t want to see him get hurt because of her.

             
“
Hey, Lex, if you aren’t cool with me picking you up at your house I totally understand.  We can meet again if you feel it would be better.”

             
“Jack, I don’t want you to think I don’t want to be seen with you.  Kids at school already know we...we are friends.”

             
“Ya know what.  How about if I meet you here and we’ll walk. It’s not that far and I just remembered I have to do an errand for my aunt about 6:30, so I could meet you here.”

             
“I guess that’s ok.  Alright.  Let’s meet here and we’ll go from there.”

             
“Sounds good.  I’ll meet you here then around 7:00.  Don’t leave if I’m not here right away cause I don’t know how long this thing for my aunt will take.  Wait for me please?”

             
“You know I will, Jack.”  Someone in the distance was shouting her name. “I better go.  I walk home with my friends and I’m sure they’re wondering where I am.  I’ll see you tomorrow night then?”

             
“Be there.  You better get goin’.  We wouldn’t want the girls to think you were doing something, mmm, naughty.”  Jack grinned at the flushed look that reappeared on her face.

             
Lexy smiled, aware of her red face and stuck out her tongue at him.  As she turned and started to walk briskly toward the school Lexy heard him chuckle.

             
“You better be careful what you do with that tongue, missy.  It just might end up somewhere you really like it.”  Jack laughed loudly as the girl he was falling hard for just shook her head and kept on walking.  No matter.  Tomorrow night was his and he was going to make Lexy Latton his girl.

Eleven

             
Stepping out of the shower the next morning, Lexy quickly dried off, donning the big, furry bathrobe provided by the hotel.  It made her feel so luxurious.   There had been no sleep for her.
No rest for the wicked.  No! She wasn’t  that way.  She was a good person. 

             
Yet, she couldn’t get the previous night with Jack off her mind.  Wanting him, and having him actually touch her, were two different matters.  Lexy shivered as she remembered his flammable kisses on her skin.  His hands on her body.  Willing, yet not ready.  Not yet. 
Will I ever be ready?
  After what Tom... no.  She wouldn’t think about that.

             
Pulling the brass chair stuffed with big brocade pillows up to the huge three-way lighted mirror, she sat down to comb out her unruly hair.  The same hair he had made love to with his hands. 

             
Plugging in her curling iron, Lexy started to blow-dry her hair.  Head bent, she heard, or thought she heard a faint knocking.  Turning the dryer off, she heard the knocking clearly, loud and persistent.

             
“Hold your horses, I’m coming.  I’m coming.”  Making sure that the robe was wrapped tightly around her so as not to expose herself, Lexy hesitated before answering.

             
“Who is it?”

             
“It’s me Jack.  The guy from last night.  Remember me?  We have a date this morning.”

             
“Jack.  I...”  She hesitated, glancing at the clock.  It was 7:30.  “I didn’t expect you so early.”

             
“I thought we might catch some breakfast before we go.  I don’t know how long we’ll be on the set. Usually there is food on the set, but not always.  Besides, I want to explain some things to you before we go, so you’ll have an idea of what is going on.  And...I...We...need to talk.”

             
She opened the door a crack.  Standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets, Jack had a sweet, funny look on his face.  Dressed in tight jeans, a chocolate colored sweater with the shirt underneath open at the collar, a dark leather bomber jacket and high-top sneakers, he looked like the boy she'd loved the first day she'd laid eyes on him.  Her heart started palpitating so loudly Lexy figured he could hear it.

             
  “Can I come in and wait?” 

             
Opening the door, she motioned him in with a sweep of her hand.  Jack walked in and sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs.  Slouching in the chair, folding his arms across his chest, and his legs at the ankles, he stared at her.  Lexy stood there, staring back.

             
Well, are you getting ready or not?”  

             
“Uh, Sorry.  I’m going right now.”

             
Spinning around, Lexy headed for the powder-room.  And safety.  If he would ask her now, looking like he did, she'd find it very hard to say no again.  Leaning on the expansive sink area, Lexy fought to regain control of herself.  Her hand slipped next to the curling iron and a major flash of pain bolted through her.  She screamed.  Within seconds Jack was there beside her.

             
“Oh damn! Damn!”

             
“What is it, Lexy.  What’s the matter, honey?” 

             
“I burned my hand on the curling iron.  Oh damn, it hurts.”

             
Jack took her hand and turned the cold water on, forcing her hand under the cool, soothing stream.

             
“Just leave it there for a minute or so.  It will feel much better.”  He continued to hold her hand while putting his other arm around her waist to steady her.  She grew stiff in his embrace.  And her hand hurt like hell.

             
“I’m....I’m fine now, thanks.  What a dumb thing to do.”

             
She didn’t want to tell him he was driving her to such a jittery distraction that she hadn’t been paying attention.  Realizing Jack was still massaging her hand, still holding her, Lexy tried to draw away.  Holding fast, turning her to face him, Jack slowly drew his mouth down to her injured hand.  Brushing his lips against it lightly, he retreated slightly.

             
“Kissing it will make it better.  Didn’t your mother tell you that when you were a little girl, Lexy?”

             
“Noooo.....” 

             
Holding her injured hand, he pressed it to his mouth again, never releasing her.  Her robe opened precariously, revealing the swell of her breasts.

             
“I...I...I don’t remember.  Jack?”

             
“Mmmmm.”  His other hand folded around the hair dryer.  “Mind if I dry your hair for you, Lexy?”  He breathed the words into her ear, caressing it like a hot, steamy wind.  They might as well have been in a fiery, vaporous jungle instead of her bathroom. 

             
Jack flicked the dryer on low.  Her hair gently wavered as Lexy closed her eyes and inclined her head back.  She sighed as the warm air enveloped her face like a mild summer breeze.