Until Lexi

“I believe you’ve already met my son, Cobi.”

“Yeah,” I murmur distractedly, rubbing at my jaw. I’m not trying to be rude, but I’m still stuck on this whole “boom” thing. “That’s really a thing?”

They laugh again as I find my gaze drifting back to Lexi.

“Oh, it’s real,” Cobi says. “It’s why you can’t stand to look away from her for more than a minute.”

“Another one bites the dust?” Another guy asks, joining in on this weird ass conversation.

“Yeah,” Cobi responds to the newcomer. “See, Jake? Even scary-looking fuckers like Harlen aren’t immune. He saw my cousin, Harmony, and never even knew what hit him.”

The whole thing sounds fucking crazy.

But I can’t deny it’s exactly what happened to me.

That first look at Lexi was all it took.

I was a goner.

“Who mentioned it to you first?” Trevor asks, looping the conversation back around.

Lexi is surrounded by women who seem to be doting on her, so I decide she’s okay and give these guys more of my attention. It’s the polite thing to do, even if they don’t seem to mind that it’s divided.

“Gareth. He said something about it while I was getting a tattoo, but I got distracted and never asked what he was talking about.”

“He knows all about it,” Cobi says. “He got hit with it too. He’s with my cousin, December.”

“December? I’ve already met an April.”

Cobi nods. “And if you’re planning to stick around, you’ll meet May, June, July, and November, too.”

My eyes dart from man to man. “You’re fucking with me.”

All three men break out in wide smiles, and Harlen barks out a laugh. “He’s not.”

Shaking my head, I decide I’m better off not asking. Instead, I tell them, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Lexi steals my attention again, but this time because she’s headed my way. My eyes trace her path across the room, arm curling naturally around her back when she finally reaches me. Ignoring those around us, I drop a kiss to the top of her head.

I dip my head down to murmur in her ear, “You okay?”

She gives me a subtle shake of her head. “Can you get me out of here?”

“Absolutely.”

Trevor, Cobi, and Harlen give me a look of understanding when I politely excuse myself. Cobi also hands me a card and tells me to call him so we can get together later. I pocket it, and lead Lexi away.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere but here.”

“I’ve got the perfect place,” I tell her, directing her to the stairs. “Pack a bag and we’ll make our escape.”

Twenty minutes later, I guide her through the door of my rental, thankful I haven’t had time to check out. I may not be currently staying here, but it’s paid for another week and a half, so it’s still mine. It’s the perfect place to give Lexi the privacy she’s craving.

“Let’s run you a bath,” I suggest, leading her to the bathroom by her hand. “You can lay back and relax for a bit.”

“I don’t want a bath,” she murmurs, tugging my arm gently to get me to stop.

I do, turning around because I need to see her face.

“What do you want, baby?”

Her gaze meets mine, and she utters a single word.

“You.”

The pain in her voice hits me right in the chest.

I don’t ask if she’s sure.

They’d only be wasted words.

One look in those pretty hazel eyes betrays all the emotions she’s trying to hide.

Lexi is drowning in her grief, and she won’t be able to hold her breath much longer.

“I’m right here, Lexi,” I promise, lifting her off her feet.

I carry her the rest of the way down the hall and into the bedroom, setting her down on the end of the bed. Kneeling at her feet, I slowly untie her shoes, watching her face for any sign that she might change her mind about what she wants.

Pushing up onto my knees, I cup her face and kiss her slowly, memorizing the feel of her intoxicating mouth against mine.

“Please, Jake,” she murmurs against my lips. “Need you.”

The corners of my lips lift, and I trail soft kisses across her jaw, whispering when I near her ear. “You’ve got me, don’t worry.”

I lift her dress over her head, and deftly unhook her bra, discarding both on the floor.

Palming her firm, perky breasts, I brush my thumb over her nipples, making her arch into me and moan. Lexi’s pupils dilate, leaving only a small ring of color along the outside. Her chest rises and falls faster, and her nipples become more defined as they begin to harden from my touch.

Needing to taste her, I lean in and suck her pretty pink nipple into my mouth, lavishing it with my tongue until it forms a stiff little peak. Trailing the tip of my tongue across her chest, I do the same to the other.

I kiss a path down her stomach, pausing to swirl my tongue around her navel, loving the way her body trembles and soft mewls escape her lips as I continue my journey south, mouth never leaving her silky skin.

Sitting back on my heels, I tuck my fingers underneath her lacy black panties and slowly pull them down her thighs, watching the way her body shivers from my touch. I trail kisses along her inner thigh, moving all the way up to the apex before pulling back. Smiling, I touch my lips to her other thigh, duplicating the trail of kisses as I savor her desperate noises.

I take my time worshiping and teasing her body, wanting to please her, but needing to relax her mind and give her an escape from reality, no matter how temporary.

Smoothing my palms up her thighs, I spread her legs further apart and find her pussy drenched from her arousal. Sliding my thumb through her slick center, I rub gentle circles around her swollen little clit.

Her trembling thighs and soft, breathy moans drive me to the brink of madness. Unable to resist the sweet, dripping temptation in front of me, I slip a finger into her and replace my thumb with my mouth, groaning when her unique flavor coats my tongue. Lexi’s breath hitches, and her back arches on the mattress.

Slipping another finger inside, I continue the rhythm, matching it with my tongue on her clit. I pump my fingers in slow, methodical thrusts until her hips start to rock, her body moving against me. She whimpers, her pussy pressing against my mouth, and I desperately want to replace my fingers with my cock.