Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding 1)

The two girls hustled everyone out of the apartment and into the awaiting cab. Claire and Elizabeth seemed to regain their typical bubbly personality, and kept the ride interesting. Luckily, neither Jack nor Lexi had to participate much in the conversation to keep them talking. Jack paid the cab as the girls climbed out of the backseat and onto the sidewalk.

"Miss Lexi," Bernard, Chyna's doorman, said tipping his hat and smiling brightly.

"Hey Mr. B, it's good to see you!" she told him sincerely. "You must be pretty busy tonight."

He shrugged. "You know how Miss Chyna can be with her parties." Lexi nodded. She sure did. "Well you have a good time. Try and keep her under control." He swung the door open and allowed them to enter Chyna's building.

They could hear the loud music before the elevator doors dinged open on the top floor. Chyna had really outdone herself in celebration of the end of Lexi's first semester. All of the lighting had been replaced with black lights. Strobe stage lighting hung from the ceiling reflecting off the blank walls and the mass of bodies grinding to the techno beats blaring from studio speakers. The sunken-in living room had been emptied of furniture and converted into a dance floor. Lexi couldn't differentiate one person from another in the room.

Jack reached out and took Lexi's hand in his own. His touch momentarily dispelled her earlier apprehensions. She led them through the crowded apartment amazed at how few of the people she actually recognized. A path cleared for them and they moved forward into the swinging double doors that led to the kitchen where a full bar was in service for the guests.

When they walked in, they found Chyna seated at the kitchen table, her head tilted backwards, an upside down margarita being poured into her mouth. She gulped down the tequila and stood. The crowd surrounding her cheered and she pumped her fist in the air in victory. Another girl took her place and Chyna bounded over to the group that had just arrived.

"Thank goodness you are here!" she cried wrapping her arms around Lexi. "My Alexa is just that much closer to being a lawyer. Which is fabulous, because you never know when I'll need one," she said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and bumping hips with Lexi.

"Lord I hope you never need one," Lexi mumbled.

Chyna giggled hysterically already beyond wasted for the evening. Lexi smiled letting Chyna's infectious personality wash over her. Lexi settled into a corner of the kitchen with the rest of her entourage taking shots of varying colors. Rachelle, who never drank, even participated for the special occasion. After a few rounds, Claire and Elizabeth ran off to the living room claiming that they needed to get their groove on. Chyna hadn't been able to suppress her laughter.

"Are you sure they are in law school with you?" she asked turning back to face Lexi.

Lexi giggled. "Yeah, my sentiments exactly," she yelled over the music.

"They are a bit much," Jack agreed lounging back in his chair. He threw an arm over the back of Lexi's seat and propped his leg up on his knee.

"They are absu…fucking…lutely ridiculous," Rachelle slurred resting her head on the table.

"Are you alright Ray?" Lexi asked placing her hand on the girl's shoulder in concern.

"I don't understand them. I don't know how they got in, and I don't know how they survived!" she cried leaping up unexpectedly.

Lexi wasn't sure how Rachelle had survived with how high strung she was and the amount of Adderall that passed through her system. "Who cares Ray? We made it! That's what matters."

"I'm going to go celebrate," Rachelle announced, "with him." She pointed towards a guy standing against the wall waiting for his beer. And with that she sauntered off leaving Lexi, Jack, and Chyna alone.

"Well that was interesting," Chyna said, "but I need more booze. You love birds have fun." She fluttered her fingers at them as she disappeared behind the kitchen doors.

"Just you and me," Lexi said turning towards Jack and licking her lips seductively.

"Finally," he murmured capturing his lips with hers.

She groaned deep in her throat and shifted from her seat to his lap letting her legs face towards the wall. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tight to his chest. He deepened the kiss letting his tongue brush across her lips and into her mouth. She sighed with pleasure and met his tongue. Her hands pushed up into his thick dark hair and gripped the strands causing a moan to escape his mouth. She felt his wandering hands sneak under her dress, trail across her inner thighs, and tease the flimsy lace material.

Lexi jerked back from his mouth in surprise. She couldn't believe he wanted to do this here, with all these people around. Not that anyone would really notice. There were dozens of people filling the rooms and the lights were all but extinguished. His demanding fingers pushed the thong aside and began to gently rub from her clit down to her hot, wet opening. A smirk played across his features as he watched her surprise shift to desire.

"Oh Jack," she whispered not even sure if he could hear her over the music.

Her eyes fluttered closed, but he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Don't close your eyes. I want to see everything."

Her eyes shot open at his command. His breath was hot on her neck as he moved his mouth to the soft spot under her ear. He trailed kisses down her neck as his hands continued to stroke her until she was trembling. Then, when he didn't think she could hold back any longer, he inserted his finger gently inside her probing around. She gasped clutching on to him as waves of pleasure rushed over her.

She slumped forward resting her head on his shoulder. He pulled back from her and reached for a napkin to clean himself up.

"Let's get some privacy," he said gesturing for them to exit the kitchen. Just as they stood up, Jack paused and fished around in his pockets. "Hello?" Jack answered the phone pressing it firmly to his ear to try and drone out the background noise. "Yes sir, this is Jack Howard." After a pause, Jack spoke up again. "I am still interested. I am definitely interested," he said enthusiasm creeping into his voice.

Lexi looked up at him her eyebrows rising in curiosity. She mouthed, "What?" to him.

He held his hand up a huge smile on his face. "Sure. Absolutely." The smile faltered. Lexi really wished that she could hear what was going on. First he was ecstatic. Now he looked a bit hesitant, and she didn't even know who was calling. "Tonight? Yeah, no, that won't be a problem. Yes sir. I'll be right there."