Lex and Lu (10 page)

He thought back on the day. She had been there for him every moment he needed her. As if she could sense his lapses of composure, she would send him an encouraging smile or lightly touch him (which about drove him insane). Even having Pete around didn’t bring him the kind of peace that Lu’s presence provided. What did that mean? Why did his fingers itch to touch her and his heart long to know her? A little unnerved by the direction of his thoughts, governed by an innate sense of self-preservation, Lex thought about the one thing that gave him balance. She still needed to explain what happened when he left. He needed to know why she gave up on him and their plan. Remembering that betrayal helped him rein in his overwhelming feelings for her.

Suddenly noticing that Pete wasn’t sleeping on the sofa that he was sitting on, he wondered if he had misread the text Pete sent him. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he looked at it again. Confirming what he thought he knew, he wondered where Pete was sleeping. Then it dawned on him. Pete was sleeping in Willa’s bed. Lex let out a soft chuckle. Finally. In the midst of all this confusion, things seemed right in the world.

Running his hands over his face and leaning deeper into the couch, he contemplated leaving Lu alone. He was convinced that she was deeply involved with someone. It was the only explanation for her reticence. Because, let’s face it, he knew she wanted him too. Smiling at his arrogance, the trait his father liked best and least about him, he stood up and made his way to Lu’s room.

The sight that greeted him didn’t disappoint. She was so innocently sexy that she sent his heart sputtering in his chest as he imagined himself sliding into her. He closed the door to her bedroom and leaned back on it. Lying on her stomach, her black hair fanned out behind her over the pillow with strands covering her neck. Her right leg, long and straight, while her left leg was bent and a pillow spanned her stomach—a habit he remembered from when she was six. He knew his hand would be traversing those long legs momentarily and he was instantly hard. As he imagined all the ways he would have her, her eyes opened and she looked directly at him. She was wide awake.

“Playing possum, Lu?” he asked. Although he wanted to go to her, he remained where he was, leaning on the door.

She smiled warily as she moved to sit up.

“Don’t!” Lex said, a little too sharply.

Lu froze, watching him with wide eyes. She wasn’t lying down anymore, but she wasn’t sitting up.

Lex pushed himself off the door and made his way to her. “I was just imagining running my hands up your leg, from toe to thigh.” Still moving toward her with panther-like grace, his voice soothing, he gently pushed her back down onto the bed. Then he knelt on the side and starting at her toes, he ran his right hand all the way up the length of her leg and back down again. He repeated the motion, but this time continued up her body, groaning when he encountered her thong, but seeking her back and lightly stroking her. “We need to lose this shirt and these,” he whispered, running his hands under her thong, then leaning over and pulling her ear lobe into his mouth.

Lu, who had continued to watch him warily, closed her eyes as desire overwhelmed her. She didn’t know where the thought came from, but her brain continued to fight, while her body was screaming, “Resistance is futile!” She smiled, which Lex immediately noted. Kissing her neck, between her lobe and her jaw, he continued with his perusal.

“Turn over for me, baby,” he said, moving his hand down her back. When she did, he lifted her tank top up, prodding her to lift her head up. He threw the shirt to the side, then moved down and discarded her underwear. Then he took in his first glance of her body. “God, Lu, you are beautiful,” he murmured. He couldn’t stop his hands from gliding over her, exploring her breasts. With a devilish smile, he looked directly at her and noted, “I liked your sixteen-year-old breasts, but these”—he looked down, then back up at her while his hands found her nipples—“these are a definite upgrade.”

Mortified but not surprised that Lex was cracking jokes, she briefly considered sitting up. But Lex anticipated her reaction and bent down to take a nipple in his mouth. As he gently drew on her, he watched her with his laughing eyes. Lu was powerless to do anything. He watched her melt into it, her eyes heavy with desire, and his laughter died, just like that. He had an overwhelming need to kiss her. Pulling his mouth from her breast, he stood up. Lu, confused, opened her eyes and looked up at him. She still hadn’t said a word.

He pulled off his shirt and pants, stripping in a fluid motion, like he did everything else. Then he was beside her. And then on top of her between her legs, his face even with hers. He kissed her gently. “Lu, I want to take this slow and worship every inch of your body.”

She heaved a stuttering breath, her body so wet and ready for him that she didn’t think she could take much more.

“But I can’t wait that long. I meant it today. I need to be inside of you,” Lex said.

Again, Lu didn’t say anything. She merely watched him with her too-old eyes. Her fingers were stroking his head, playing with the bristles of his hair.

He kissed her again. He knew she was ready for him. Her heat surrounded him. He could smell her desire.

“Talk to me, baby,” he prompted, but then he kissed her again, stealing her breath. His hips moved between her legs, bringing him in contact with her heat. “Lu?” he said, the question evident in his voice. He realized then that he needed her to want this. He wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. And ego aside, he needed to hear it or see it or feel it.

Lu continued to stare at him. His arms were starting to shake as he held himself back. Then the most bizarre thing happened. Her eyes filled with tears and he groaned in frustration and fell on top of her, rolling out from between her legs.

Neither one of them said anything, and the room filled with an uncomfortable silence. Then Lex rolled out of bed, pulled on his pants, and walked out onto the balcony.

Lu stayed in bed, fighting the urge to go to him. If she went to him, they would have sex. All he needed was for her to say yes. He’d been breaking her down, slowly, surely. But he had needed her to capitulate totally—that was just Lex. It was always, had always been, all or nothing with him. She wanted to, but how much worse would it be when she told him about Nina? And how many times could she have this argument with herself?

Not able to stand the distance between them, she got out of bed and picked up his shirt off the floor. Slipping her arms in, she quickly fastened a couple of buttons and walked out to the balcony. She leaned against the door jamb and took in the view.

Perfection. His elbows resting on the railing. He gazed out at the gulf as it rolled gently against the sand, beating a gentle rhythm. Sliding in and rolling back out—erotic images filled Lu’s brain, and she thought she might combust right there. His athlete’s body rippled with muscle. Ink scrolled all over his back. She hadn’t known he had any tattoos. Fascinated, she moved closer. Without meaning to she began tracing the lines of the intricate pictures detailed on his body.

She felt him stiffen, but he didn’t say anything, so she didn’t either. Her fingers continued to peruse his back. A weird band spanned his upper back, from his left shoulder blade to his right. Probably Celtic, but she couldn’t be sure. His number, seven, was on the lower left side of his back. He had Italian and Cuban flags, intertwined, a tribute to his heritage. It should have appeared crowded and incongruent, but somehow it all fit together.

“You followed Dr. J.’s tattoo rule?” she murmured, fascinated with her exploration of his body.

He didn’t answer her at first and she didn’t blame him. He’d tried to get her to talk and she’d left him hanging.

“Yes,” he said simply.

She stopped moving her hands, allowing them to rest lightly on both of his hips. Then, as if in a trance, she moved forward and kissed his back, on his spine. Then slid her tongue down his body until she reached the waistband of his pants.

His body grew taut. She could feel him struggle. She knew his frustration with her; she was frustrated too. But she knew she needed to be with him. Before she did anything else, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his back. “I need you to promise me something,” she said.

He drew a ragged sigh. “I don’t think I can make you any promises, Lu. I wish I could.”

“Let me say this, Lex,” she begged, her forehead resting on his back, her arms still around him, but a small gulf existed between their bodies.

Taking another fortifying breath, he said, “I’m all ears, Lu.”

At any other time, she knew, he would be saying that with a smile. “I need you to promise me that after the memorial service tomorrow, when everyone clears out, that you can give me some time.”

She could feel his hesitation. “Lu, I’ve let it go. We don’t need to go back over the past.” He didn’t want this to be about the past. He needed to hold on to that to keep some perspective.

“Lex, please,” she begged.

He turned in her arms so he could see her. Her eyes and face must have told him what her words did not. “OK, Lu. I promise.” His hands were gripping her shoulders. “Promise,” he said again, giving her the reassurance he knew she needed, always anticipating what she needed.

She looked at him, then at his mouth. It was probably his one imperfection. His lips were mismatched. He had a full bottom lip but a very thin upper one. It didn’t matter, of course. Drawing up her every reserve, fortifying her heart, she looked directly at him and murmured, “I want you inside of me, Lex.”

She hadn’t finished her sentence when he pushed her back against the wall of the balcony. His mouth ravished her, the forcefulness of the kiss making their teeth hit. Grabbing her upper thighs from between her legs, he lifted her up against the wall, securing her with his weight. By mutual consent, Lu wrapped her legs around his waist. He slipped his hand in his back pocket and pulled out a condom. He held it to her mouth and she gripped the corner in her teeth. She was naked except for Lex’s shirt, so no barriers marred his access. He was inside of her in seconds, filling her in a way she didn’t think possible. He pounded into her with more finesse than seemed right, with a wall at her back. He reached between them. It took one touch of his finger to send her over the edge. He held her as she clenched around him.

Then, still sheathed in her warmth, he moved her to the bed. He slipped out of her when he set her down. Kneeling at the edge of the bed, he turned her over on her stomach and pulled her down so her knees were at the edge and her ass was up in the air. Stifling a groan as he looked at her, his eye caught her tattoo. He wanted to ask her about it, but his thoughts were scattered. Unable to wait any longer, he entered her from behind, grabbing her hips and pulling her back into him. They cried out together at the contact. He couldn’t hold out any longer. With pent-up desire exploding, Lex filled her again and they found their release together.

They feasted on each other all night. A pattern developed. They would have sex, wrap themselves around each other, doze off, talk, and start all over again. Lu found herself liking him more and more. He asked her about everything, joked with her, and made her want him with a passion she hadn’t known existed. Exhausted and sated, they learned the ins and outs of each other again. He didn’t hold anything back in his questioning of her, even when the questions made her blush or think before she answered. Like his body, his mind was insatiable.

“Lu,” he said as he rolled her onto her stomach and moved his hands up and down her body. “Tell me about this tattoo? Why do you have a tramp stamp of a ship?”

Slightly mortified, Lu didn’t know how she forgot about her tattoo and that he would see it. His fingers outlined it over and over, running up and down the four masts, tracing the lines of it.

Breathless from his perusal, she answered carefully, “First of all, when I got it there, the term ‘tramp stamp’ didn’t exist.”

He moved his body down so that he lay between her legs, his mouth even with her tat. “Baby, that term has been around for a long time.” His tongue mimicked the lines that his fingers had run.

When he called her baby, she felt her whole body heat up.

“So, why the tribute to Columbus?”

She hated that he was intelligent sometimes. Why did he have to be graced with all things good? “It’s not a tribute to Columbus.”

“OK. What is it?”

She didn’t know how to throw him off. Her body and mind were completely pliable.

“It’s the
Niña,
” she said. Not really believing that she told him, she buried her head under the pillow, hating that he could make her stupid.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Why are you so stubborn?” he asked, smiling. “I know that I can get you to talk.” He murmured. He moved one of his fingers inside of her. “And why?” he prompted again. When she remained silent, he slid another finger inside her warmth. “You are so tight and wet, Lu,” he murmured.

“I can’t think when you do that,” she spat out, moaning despite herself, her hips starting to move against his hand.