Then paused. “I guess I should ask if you can stay—or want to stay—for a few hours before I get you all undressed. ”
“You’re not kicking me out?” he asked, only half kidding.
Her head tilted in the cutest way. “Why would I do that?”
“Then I’ll stay as long as you’ll have me. ”
She tugged on the boot and slid it off his foot, then his sock. “That’s a dangerous statement. ”
After taking off the other, she pulled his pants free of his legs, and he lay naked in her bed. When she straightened, she smiled down at him, her gaze raking over him with appreciation and hunger. Reaching up, she unfastened her bra and tossed it aside. Definitely not shy about her body, she stood completely naked in front of him. Glorious wet-dream material. His cock started to harden again.
Her gaze lifted to his face. “I’m going to get a warm towel and clean you up before that,” she pointed to his growing erection, “gets out of control. ”
Jax’s gaze was gliding over her body when the comment registered. When he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes, Lexi turned for the bathroom. His gaze lowered, taking in the beauty of her backside for the first time. And her ass looked as good as it felt.
The water ran in the bathroom, and as promised, she returned with a warm towel, sat on the edge of the bed, and lovingly removed the condom and wiped him clean. He was fully hard again by the time she was finished. His heart full. Jax had never felt so spoiled.
She tossed the towel aside and lay beside him, her head near his hip. He rested his cheek against her thigh and bent his knee so she could do the same to him, their position reminding Jax of a yin-yang symbol. Her hand floated over his belly, up his chest. Jax stroked her arm.
“I know you’re tired,” she said. “You can sleep. I’ll wake you up before my assistant comes in. ”
He took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. “And leave you alone to find eighteen ways to convince yourself this will never work by the time I wake up? Forget it. ”
She smiled.
He glanced around the space again. “Lexi, how do you eat?”
“I usually grab something from one of the restaurants nearby. There’s a fridge in a break room downstairs. ” She pushed up. “You want me to get you some water?”
He pulled her back to him. “No. I want you to stay here, touching me. ”
“Well, I don’t know. ” She melted against him. “That’s a rough job, but…for you…”
He sighed, squeezed her hand. She’d agreed to tonight, exposed a lot of herself, but she was still holding back. “Okay, Lex, truth—am I going to be another one of your casualties?”
All amusement left her face. “What…does that mean?”
“It’s obvious you haven’t been with anyone in a while. With your looks…” Understanding filled her eyes. He didn’t have to connect the dots. “I thought you were skittish in New York because you were sweet. Thought men took advantage of you. But I’m getting the feeling you don’t let anyone close enough to take advantage. ”
Her blue eyes scanned him, serious, troubled. But she didn’t answer.
“Who did this to you, Lex? Who made someone with so much to offer hide away in this five-hundred-square-foot box?”
Her gaze drifted away with the hint of a rueful smile. “It’s over a thousand square feet, I’ll have you know. ”
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “What happened? And who did it happen with?”
She heaved a sigh, and her gaze drifted toward the darkened window above the bed. She seemed to think about it for a long moment before she spoke.
“A man I was dating, who, unfortunately, only saw me as part of his long list of accomplishments. ” She paused. Lic
ked her lips. Still didn’t meet his eyes. “When I realized what kind of person he was I broke off the relationship, but he wasn’t ready to unpluck my feather from his hat. ” Her gaze lowered to his chest, her fingers tracing his ribs. “He was…wealthy, connected. Out of vengeance, he almost took everything I had, everything I’d worked for, and I realized how quickly I could lose my entire life by choosing the wrong man. How vulnerable I am against the rich and powerful of LA. Ironic that those are the very people who have enabled me to have all I have. Some of whom I love dearly. It’s…a very convoluted, twisted web. ”
Twisted, all right. Especially when Jax fell right into that same category. He wanted to ask more about the guy, but Jax didn’t want to push her too hard. Yet.
“How—and when—did that end?” he asked.
“Three years ago. My friend’s father helped me out. ”