“No, grape seeds,” she said, hand on her hip, mouth quirked in a little smile. “I find they’re far more valuable than dollars. ”
The spark in her blue eyes, the look on her beautiful face, the sass in her tone floored Jax, and electricity sparked through his body. “You smart-ass little—”
Her laughter made him pause. Made him focus on her. Feel her. Made him realize he was holding her, one arm low on her back, one against the base of her neck, looking down at her smiling eyes. Fire flared inside him so fast he stopped breathing. Lexi’s gaze softened. One hand rose from his bicep, rested against his cheek, and a look of longing in her eyes that made him forget everything but her.
“Fifty thousand dollars a dress,” he said, “and you’re living in this lunch bag?”
“Not every dress sells for that, each dress takes a long time to make, and I have one hell of a lot of overhead. Besides, growing up poor has made me…frugal. I don’t see the point in paying two thousand dollars a month on a lunch bag of an apartment to do nothing but sleep there a few hours a night. ”
He ran his hand through her hair and smiled. “You need a life outside work, Lex. It’s not healthy. ” He laughed. “Christ, this is like lecturing into a mirror. ”
“You’re so handsome. I wish…” Emotion flooded her eyes. She swallowed. Smiled, but the expression was sad. “I know it’s stupid to say when we really don’t know each other…”
“You’re not listening to me…” But he let her slide. “And say it anyway. ”
“I’ve missed you so much. ”
An emotion Jax couldn’t identify flooded him. It started at the middle of his chest and washed outward until he ached with it. Desire flowed in its wake. Deep and hot and strong. But different from anything he’d ever felt before. Far more intense.
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. “What do you wish, Lexi? I’m in the mood to make your wishes come true. ”
“I wish I could have made love to you…looking into your eyes. ”
The feeling in his chest magnified. A sensation of both pleasure and pain mixed until Jax felt fused to Lexi. Like he’d go insane if he had to let her go.
“Tell me what I can do to make this work, baby. ”
She laughed. “I’m the last person to be giving advice on relationships, as evidenced by the lousy way I’ve handled this one from the start. ”
“I’m no gem either. ” Pulling back, he took her face in both hands and met her gaze seriously. “But I’ve been through enough relationships to know when I’ve found someone I want to keep. And I want to keep you. ” Tears gathered in her eyes. She bit her bottom lip. “What about you, Lex? It has to go both ways. ”
“Want? Yes,” she whispered, her eyes sliding closed. “Yes, I want to keep you more than I want to breathe. ”
When Jax’s lips covered hers, Lexi whimpered with relief. With lust. With need. She hadn’t realized how badly she needed him until his strong arms pulled her up against his hard body. Until his lips were sliding against hers. Until his tongue touched hers and his taste filled her mouth.
They groaned at the same time. She sucked at his lips, licked into his mouth. Jax pulled her hips up against his. The jeans he wore were medium blue and deeply worn. They cupped his sex like a far softer fabric than denim, and when he rubbed against her, his heat burned through all their clothing layers.
Jax’s hand clawed into her hair from the base of her neck. The strength pulled at the strands, shooting a delicious tingle through her scalp.
He pulled her head back, breaking the kiss. Lexi opened her eyes to his, heavy lidded and hot. They were a smoky blue-green. Not hazel at all.
“These have been the longest fucking three weeks of my life. ” His lips slid over hers again, as if he couldn’t keep them away for more than a second. His tongue did sweet, erotic, wicked things to her mouth. He groaned, pulled back again. “I need you, Lex. ”
“Yes,” she murmured, barely able to stand.
She fisted his shirt, a soft cotton T-shirt that melted beneath her hands, molded to his muscles as she touched him. But it wasn’t enough. She needed skin and yanked the bottom edge from his jeans. Slid her hands under and groaned at the feel of him on her palms.
He broke the kiss. “Fuck, Lexi, I don’t think I’m going to be able to go slow. ”
She smiled. Laughed Pressed her mouth to his throat. Hummed with pleasure. Took a deep breath—
Lexi froze, but Jax was still moving. Hands pulling at the belt on her dress. It fell to the floor when she finally leaned back.
He glanced down at her, took one scan of her face, and stopped moving. “Lex?” His hands slid over her arms. “What’s wrong?”
She lowered her gaze. Her eyes held on the pulse beating in his throat. Her own throat thickened with turmoil. Emotion and regret tore through her stomach. She closed her eyes and pressed her nose and mouth to his shoulder. The fabric of his shirt caressed her skin as she took another deep breath, hoping she’d been wrong.
But no. Her head filled with perfume. A woman’s perfume. She closed her eyes and pushed back.