Wild Zone (Rough Riders Hockey 4)

Six weeks to the day Jax had walked out of her studio, Lexi sat at her drawing table, a pen in hand. She toggled it back and forth between her fingers. Dragged her lip between her teeth.

“Just write it already.” Rubi sat cross-legged on Lexi’s bed, surfing the Web. “I’m not staying here all night.”

Everything with Jax had been a risk. That was what Jax was all about—risk. Lexi was pretty good at taking risks. Calculated risks. But this wasn’t the least bit calculated.

Still undecided, Lexi penned his name on the envelope, each letter careful and deliberate.

Bentley Jaxon Chamberlin

He would find it ridiculously formal.

But Lexi wanted him to know that she knew every part of him, loved every part of him, wanted every part of him.

On the bottom of the invitation, she added a personal note. Had to fight herself from adding I miss you. I love you. And just signed her name.

She sighed and slid it into the envelope.

If he doesn’t respond, it wasn’t meant to be.

She licked the tip of the flap and pressed it closed.

If he doesn’t show, something better waits for me.

She turned it over and ran her fingers over his name.

“Tick-tock, tick-tock,” Rubi said, pushing to her feet and sliding into rhinestoned flip-flops. “I’m tired. I want to go slide into a bathtub.”

Lexi glanced over her shoulder. “Did you find him?”

“Yep. He snagged that Bond job back, and he and his crew have been playing on the Sixth Street Bridge.” She walked up to her drawing table, met Lexi’s gaze, and held out her hand. “Now or never.”

Lexi pulled the inside of her cheek between her teeth and offered the invitation to Rubi.

When she started to close her fingers, Lexi pulled it back. “Just…don’t…say anything. Just give it to him and walk away.”

“Sure, hon, that’s going to happen.”

Rubi grabbed for the envelope. Lexi pulled it back again.

“And…if he’s with a woman…absolutely don’t give it to him.”

Rubi’s lids lowered in warning. “Lexi. Let go.”

Lexi closed her eyes and forced herself to let go of control. Rubi snatched the invitation, kissed her cheek, and her flip-flops tick-tick-ticked down the stairs to the front door.

“Rubi,” Lexi called. When her friend turned and faced Lexi, she said, “Thank you.”

As soon as Rubi closed and locked the door behind her, Lexi turned to her sewing machine and the yards of butter-like crimson leather she’d bought at the London Fabric Expo.

Chapter 25

Jax swung his legs over the steel beam running beneath the Sixth Street Viaduct and seated the bend of his knees solidly over the metal.

Then let go.

He swung upside down over the concrete running alongside the trench that guided the Los Angeles River through the city.

He clapped his gloved hands. “Let’s finish this.”