Avoiding Temptation (Avoiding 3)

“I have no idea,” Ramsey said, shrugging his shoulders.

“She always has been a little flighty,” he mused. “At least I know that I can trust her to get a job done.”

Ramsey stared forward at his father, like he was a pig that had just sprouted wings and was about to fly around the room. His father didn’t give out compliments lightly, and to hear one about Parker and not directed at him must have been torturous. The clear implication in his father’s words was that he couldn’t always trust Ramsey. Even though he had done everything his father had wanted, Ramsey still had to deal with this type of behavior. Lexi wished they could just walk out.

“I’m sure she’ll be around,” Lexi said, leaning into Ramsey for support. “I’m going to go find the restroom. Come with me?”

“I have to stay here,” he said softly through gritted teeth. “Come back to me quickly.”

“Okay,” she said, wishing he had taken the out.

Lexi pulled Ramsey down to her by the front of his suit and kissed him on the mouth. He smiled against her lips as she showed him just how much he meant to her in that one motion. She pulled back marginally, and he was grinning like an idiot, looking down at her.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Lexi waited for him to nod before releasing him, and then she veered away from him to seek out the restroom. She glanced around at all the employees. She recognized so many, but there were far more she had never even seen before.

She found the restroom easily, but she took her time once she got in there. She didn’t really have to use the restroom, but she didn’t want it to seem like she had just disappeared for no reason. She washed her hands slowly and touched up her makeup before forcing herself to walk back out into the party.

Almost immediately, Lexi saw Cierra out of the corner of her eye and walked over to her, waving as she approached.

Cierra was in a short black sequined dress with high heels to match, and her boy toy was in a black suit with a skinny black tie. He was cute with a baby face, and he didn’t seem to see anything else in the room but Cierra. The girl was crazy if she didn’t think he looked at her like Ramsey did with Lexi.

“Hey, girl! You look fabulous!” Lexi said.

“Lexi! Thank you. You look great, too!” Cierra cried. “This is my man, Deon.”

“So nice to meet you,” Lexi said, taking his extended hand.

“Pleasure is all mine.”

He looked like he could be a basketball player. He was tall and skinny but still muscular. Lexi felt miniature next to his towering height.

“Are y’all having a good time so far?” Lexi asked.

“There’s an open bar,” Cierra observed. “I’m not sure the party can get much better than that.”

Lexi laughed. “Yeah, that’s a nice feature.”

“There you are,” Lexi heard someone say behind her right before she felt an arm wrap around her waist.

“Oh!” she said, trying to twist out of the embrace she hadn’t been expecting.

She turned in place and stared up into a pair of hazel eyes. She stopped squirming. Damn, that man was attractive.

“John,” she whispered.

“Lexi,” he said with a smug smirk. “It’s good to see you.”

Coming to her senses real quick, Lexi pulled out of his arms and stood up straight. She could feel Cierra’s and Deon’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t meet them.

“You, too. Have you met Cierra?” she asked, pulling them into the conversation. “She works at the medical wing.”

“Ah, I don’t believe I have,” he said, shaking her hand and then Deon’s.

“John works for Global. He was one of the people in charge of getting the hospital up and running in time,” Lexi explained.

“Wow, nice gig,” Cierra said, glancing at Lexi again.

“Well,” Lexi said awkwardly, “I’m glad y’all could make it. Come find me later.”

“All right, Lexi.” Cierra gave her a disapproving look.

For someone Lexi had known for only a few short weeks, she sure had Chyna’s stares down.

They left Cierra alone with her man, and Lexi and John wandered slowly toward Jessica, who looked stunning in a square-cut coral dress that hugged her frame to her knees before fanning out to the floor.

“You look…God, what’s the right word?” John said, eyeing her up and down appreciatively. “Stunning…radiant…”

She shook her head. “No need to continue. I get it. Thank you.”

John was in a light gray suit with a dark royal blue tie. Whatever cologne he was wearing tonight was musky and intoxicating. It made her head spin a little.

“I haven’t seen much of you lately,” he said.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Ah, with that Elisa girl?”

Lexi ground her teeth together. She knew that John would know about that. Everyone knew about it…but she really didn’t like to talk about it.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” she spat out.

“It’s just us. You don’t have to lie.”

“Look, I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said stiffly. “I should actually go find Ramsey now.”

“He’s just up there with Parker,” John said, gesturing to the front of the room.

Lexi’s head snapped up. God, she hadn’t been gone that long, had she? It shouldn’t have been a surprise to see her here…or them together, but it still was. Not to mention, Parker looked striking in the very casual, effortless way she always exuded.

She had on a forest-green dress with small swirls of black in it that accented her figure and slimmed her already trim form. The thin straps cut into a shapely V in the front before the dress dropped to pool at her feet. Standing next to Ramsey, it was clear she wasn’t wearing high heels because she still barely came up to his shoulder. Her brown hair was down, past her shoulders, and in a natural just-got-out-of-the-shower wavy style. Her freckles were evident against her pale skin, even from where Lexi was standing. The only true adornment that Parker wore was the bright cherry-red lipstick on her lips. Lexi had never really seen her in makeup before, and the lipstick made her look startlingly pretty.

“Is Ramsey’s tie green?” John asked into Lexi’s ear.