“He’s… Why don’t you Google him? Or ask him? Where are you?”
“At the grocery store. Would you just give me the freaking highlights, please?”
“His entire family is in the movie business. Parents are huge actors, brothers have directed and produced, sister is an always-in-trouble wild-child wanna-be actress. ”
Lexi’s stomach knotted tighter. “What about him?”
“Tabloids say he’s been in an ongoing family feud since he left acting. ” Rubi’s voice leveled. “And he gets around, Lexi. Shit, I bet he’s fire in the sheets. No wonder you’ve been so messed up, girl. ”
Lexi muttered a curse. That familiar fear rose up her chest like a heating thermometer.
“Don’t wig,” Rubi said. “It’s just sex, Lexi. Enjoy him while you have him. He’s not known for staying with any one woman long. In fact, his last fling—can’t remember her name—was some actress who fucked him out of a huge contract of some kind. Literally fucked him out of it. I’ll have to see if I can find that story. ”
“When you do, keep it to yourself,” Lexi said, “I don’t need to hear it. I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later. ”
Lexi wandered down the short aisle of toiletries in a fog. She stared at the toothbrushes until her vision blurred. Family feud. Womanizer. Bad boy. Malibu. “What in the hell am I doing?”
She closed her eyes. Forced her logical mind to churn.
Lexi knew how sensational the tabloids were. She knew what lengths reporters went to for stories. She herself had been pushed to the brink of making shit up just to get them to leave her alone. So she knew it wasn’t all true. But she also knew a lot of the bullshit was seeded with fact.
She opened her eyes and pulled her phone from her pocket.
LEXI: Any preferences on your toothbrush?
She mused over the vast selection as she waited to keep her mind from turning her belly into a four-alarm fire. Bristle types, head sizes, neck features… “This is worse than buying a car. ”
JAX: The one that gets you back here fastest. I’m naked in your shower.
“Oh man. ” He probably had his phone sitting on the back of the toilet right next to the shower—that was what she did.
She clenched her teeth against the burn of need between her legs.
LEXI: I didn’t need to know that. Now I can’t concentrate. What a visual. Don’t get your stitches wet and don’t faint.
She pulled a toothbrush from the display, tossed it into the basket, and moved on.
JAX: I love the way you take care of me. Next shower will be together.
“Jesus,” she muttered and paused at the ice cream display. Found an all-fruit peach sorbet and tossed it in, grabbed a quart of milk…and smiled as she picked up a can of whipped cream.
“Enjoy him while you have him. He’s not known for staying with any one woman long. ”
Lexi’s smile fell.
“Have I told you I love you yet today?”
Her mind spun. Her heart squeezed. She closed her eyes and shook all the confusion away. They definitely needed to talk.
Twenty-Three
Jax paused the movie as Lexi answered her phone. He prayed she didn’t have to go out, and from her end of the conversation, it sounded like his prayer had been answered.
When she disconnected, her blue eyes smiled up at him from where her head lay on his belly. “Claire and David just left the reception for their honeymoon. ”
He smiled, leaned down, and kissed her. “Congratulations on your first successful day off in fifteen years. ” Then he spooned peach sorbet into her beautiful mouth and kissed her again.
Jax was feeling a hell of a lot better now, eight hours after starting the antibiotic, but he could still feel the drag in his body. He was so grateful Lexi had taken care of covering his shoots the next couple of days. It was good for his guys and for him.