Looking Out for Lexy (8 page)

             
“It’s no big deal anyway.  I have everything I want in life, and more.  I don’t intend to share it with anyone and I don’t need anyone either.  I  made myself what I am today.
I  am  going to reap the benefits of my work.  There’s no room in my life for anyone else.”  Pausing briefly, he looked directly at her.  "Well, maybe there's room...for a weekend."

             
Jack glimpsed a fleeting moment of pain and confusion in those fathomless sapphire eyes of hers.  He looked away defiantly.  Those eyes of hers tore at his soul, slowly ripping it to shreds.  As they'd done when he'd first met her.  She wasn't like any other woman he’d known before, that was for certain.  He swiftly shoved aside those thoughts, looking at her again.

             
Lexy recovered quickly from his statements.  She recognized that they were the statements of someone who’d been deeply hurt in his life.  She'd had plenty of experience in that department.  Discussing Tom would be taboo also.  She figured that she’d react much the same way if that subject came up. 

             
Still, his declarations had hurt her.  She’d have to try even harder now to make him see the error of his ways, that he needed someone like her to look after him.  She would have to tread softly where his heart was concerned.

    Lexy screwed up her courage, looking him straight in the eye.  Oh no.  Not again.  Those cool, mahogany eyes commanded hers as long as he wanted them to.  Maybe she was wrong.  Maybe he was in charge.  Oh dear.  She was in a little bit of trouble again now wasn’t she?

              He gazed into the abstruse depths of Lexy's eyes, almost losing his control of the situation while his hand slid over to take hers quietly.  She withdrew it hastily, the light, feathery caress sending a bolt of electricity straight to her heart.  Those butterflies were back with a vengeance now.   How could he be so cool and collected while she was slowly coming apart?  He broke into a grin then and dropped his eyes, concentrating on the salad before him.  

              Lexy's face glowed a rosy color.  She lowered her long, dark lashes.  No matter what she said, he could turn it into a sexual innuendo. It was frustrating to her that he could turn it off and on like a faucet.  She knew then that she was in danger for sure.  Taking a big gulp of her water, she turned the conversation to his work. 

             
Now that was a subject Jack could talk about, at least until they finished dinner. 

             
“Actually, things are going along fairly well with this video.  We have a shoot out of the country coming up, but that should be a piece of cake.  I’ve done it many times before.”             

             
“It must be so exciting, going all over the world and seeing all those places.”  Lexy set her fork down, listening intently as she urged him on, hanging on his every word.  The small tremors in her stomach continued to get stronger.  She needed to think about something other than the way his lips would feel against hers, his body hot against her own.

             
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve been to a lot of places.”  He wasn’t about to tell her that what he saw was the insides of a lot of foreign bars, and not the national treasures of the country he happened to be in at the time.

             
“Tell me more.  I’ve only read about the places you’ve been to.  I would love to travel abroad some day.  There must be so much to see and do.  Jack, you are so fortunate.  Most people only get to see what you have seen in movies and on television.”  Lexy put her quivering elbows on the table, resting her chin in the palm of her hands, staring intently at him, trying to look smooth. She needed to collect herself. Control her rollercoaster emotions.

             
“You’ve really done all right for yourself and I think it’s wonderful.” 

             
“I’ll tell you all about it later.  Let’s talk about you.”  He abruptly changed the subject.  Her sweet smile with that cute dimple was making him nuts.  He smothered the urge to reach out and stroke her cheek, to trail his fingers over the sensuous depression near her seductive mouth.

             
How could he tell her he hadn’t bothered to see any of the famous sites in the cities he’d been in?  Maybe it had been a big mistake.  He just had never taken the time.  He turned the conversation back to her own children. 

             
“It must be tough raising two teenagers besides working full time.”

             
“It does have it’s moments.  But I can handle it.”  Lexy smiled a kind, heart warming smile as she thought fondly of Ryan and Jessie.  “They can be so aggravating at times.  Then, sometimes at night, I tiptoe into their bedroom and watch them sleep.  They just steal my heart right back.”

             
“Stealing your heart.  You make it sound so easy, Lexy.”

             
One sure thought flitted across her jumbled mind 
You ought to know, Jack
.
  The quaking inside returned just as she'd managed to almost quell the commotion.

             
Jack stared at her from under long, dusky lashes, obscuring his eyes in a mysterious way that had always taken her breath away.  Lexy caught her breath sharply as she was again mesmerized momentarily by his captivating look.  Returning her hands to her lap and shaking her head she was finally able to reply.

             
“Not so easy as you think, Jack. I have my priorities.”  She looked at him rather haughtily, but wanting to fall into his arms at the same time. 

             
He leaned back causally.  “I hope to be one of those priorities, Lexy.”  Way to go, dummy.  Open the door a little more.  He added, “At least while you are here.”

             
Before she could say anymore he'd beckoned the waiter for the check.  Small talk returned as he ushered her out the door to a waiting taxi.  He slipped his arm around her loosely, once inside. 

             
“Well, Lexy, are you ready for a couple of drinks and some dancing?”  Lexy settled back against his arm.  He seemed safe enough here.

             
“That sounds like fun, Jack.  I haven’t danced in years.  It sounds wonderful.” 

             
It had been years.  Tom hadn’t taken her out much during their marriage.

             
“Good. I like dancing.  I always liked like getting close to you, Lexy.”  He said it softly, his lips a wisp away from her ear.  He could almost feel the softness of her cheek against his.  Her skin still looked as smooth as silk.  He longed to fondle her face with his hands.  To run his rough fingers over her soft, full ripe lips.  To lower his mouth slowly, watching her as she waited breathlessly for their lips to meet.  Jack Wyatt was losing ground fast.

             
Lexy held her breath a moment.  What would she do if he kissed her now?  She knew he wanted to.  His breath tickled her nose.  He was so close.  All Lexy had to do was turn slightly.  No.  It was too soon.  Too soon.  Lexy forced herself to turn away from temptation, pretending to observe the night life in the big city.  Her heart was hammering wildly against her chest.

             
The cab pulled up to one of the small, intimate places Jack often frequented while in the city.             

             
“I love it.”  Lexy was nearly out of breath, glancing around as they hurried out of the frosty air into the warmth of the small, intimate establishment.  The soft glow of the low hanging lamps at each table, combined with the rather unaffected atmosphere of the place, gave her a comfortable feeling.  Like being in a small town, not New York City.

             
“I don’t get out much at home.  This is very nice.  Very cozy.”

             
“What a waste.”  Jack looked down at her, the lights giving her face a soft, romantic glow, reminiscent of old black and white movies.  He ached to take her in his arms and kiss her properly, long and passionately.  As he’d done so long ago. 

             
“What do you mean, a waste?”  Lexy stared up at him, a puzzled look on her face.

             
“I mean, a gorgeous woman like you sitting at home is a waste.”

             
“I don’t waste
my time, Jack.  As a single working mother of two, I don’t have time
to waste.”

             
“You got me all wrong, Lexy.  I meant,
I mean, Oh hell.  I didn’t mean you
were wasting your time.  I meant, ah, you
should get out more socially.  You know the saying, all work and no play makes Isabel a dull girl.”

             
“Are you saying I’m dull? 
And the saying is, makes Jack a dull boy
.”
  She cocked her head, peering at him expectantly.

             
“No, no, Geez, that’s not what I was saying at all.” 

             
Man, Lexy was making him feel like he was seventeen again.  He hadn’t meant that at all.  He ran his fingers back and forth through his  dark hair.

             
Lexy smiled sweetly, enjoying her little game.  It was his turn to be nervous.

             
“Well then, Jack, what was it that you were implying.”

             
“I just meant to say, that a good-looking ba-woman like you should have some fun once in a while.  You should get out more, you know, get away from your work.”

             
“I see.  You took care of that for me, Jack.  I’m taking a break now, on your invitation.  I guess you wanted to see if single mothers from small towns were dull or not.”  Lexy had a serious, questioning look on her face again.

             
“No, no, you are taking this all wrong, Lexy.  I don’t think you are dull at all.”  He groped around for the right thing to say.  This wasn’t going well.  He wasn’t in command of the situation here.

             
“It was your letter.  I-” He ran both of his hands through his hair.  The handsome rock star began anew.

             
“I wanted to see you again.  You don’t realize what kind of people I’m around all day.  People in the entertainment always want something.  They want a piece of you.  And it’s all the time.  You were always so genuine, so nice, so sincere.  I wanted to spend time with someone who wasn’t after me for my image.  You took me as I was, Lexy.  You were always open and honest about your feelings.  I'd never accuse you of being dull.”

             
Lexy laughed openly then.  “I was only teasing you, Jack.  Do you always take everything so seriously?” 

             
Jack gave her a sideways glance.  She was still chuckling, the laugh on him.  He didn’t know whether to be mad, or grab her and kiss her.  Jack chose the latter.  Pulling her close, he pressed his rough lips to her soft ones.  A sigh of surprise and pleasure escaped her lips as his tongue raked across her teeth, suddenly plunging into her mouth, teasing hers.  Just as suddenly he released her.  He grinned at her nonplused look.  That kiss had nearly KO’d him.

             
“No, Lexy, I’m not always so serious.  Take for instance that kiss just now.  I can tell
you took that seriously.”

             
“I-I did not.  You, you just caught me by surprise, that’s all.   I did
not
take it seriously.  Really, Jack.”  The truth was, it would've knocked her socks off if she’d had any on.

             
Lexy turned away so he wouldn’t see how affected she really was.  If he hadn’t stopped, she would've just caved into his arms. 
Great, Lexy!
Composing herself quickly, she turned back around.  He was grinning from ear to ear.

             
“Suppose we talk about something else.  I think I’d like to sit down for a while if you don’t mind.”  Yeah. So she won't fall down after that kiss.  Her legs were very shaky at the moment.

             
“I don’t mind at all, Lexy.  How about over there?”  He pointed to a small, unoccupied table in the corner, in the shadows.

             
“All right, Jack.”

             
He pulled the chair out for her.  Seating himself next to her, he signaled the waitress.  He leaned over, his lips next to her ear.  She could feel his warm breath against the side of her face as he spoke.

             
“What’ll it be, Sexy Lexy?”  He grinned and winked at her.

             
"God, Jack.  I can't believe you remembered that."  She looked embarrassed.  “I...I'll have a glass of White Zinfandel, please.”

             
The waitress arrived at their table.

             
“Make that a glass of White Zin and a scotch on the rocks.”

             
“Right away, sir.”

             
“Now, how about a dance....Lexy.”  Not waiting for her to answer, Jack hauled her out of the chair, dragging her toward the dance floor.  They danced, gyrating around the dance floor.  They were laughing and dancing with each other as if it was yesterday at the Spring Fling, their painful pasts forgotten at the moment.