Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
~SHAWN~
T he room is dark, except for a stream of light coming from my small desk lamp. The house is perfectly quiet. Lexi’s in my bed, sleeping like an angel, and I’m in the office, working.
Not on our project. No, she might behead me if she found out that I worked on the movie without her. Just thinking about that day in Seattle when she highlighted and deleted all of my work makes me simultaneously want to throttle her and kiss her.
No, I’m working on a project that’s been on the back burner for a couple of years, always simmering in my mind. It’s a thriller with a bit of a love story as a side story arc. And tonight, I figured I’d come in here and work on it since I couldn’t sleep.
Sleepless nights aren’t new for me. Sometimes, after working at the pub, it’s hard to unwind.
Just as I’m finishing up a scene, I hear bare feet on the hardwood floor. I look to the doorway and see Lexi leaning against the doorjamb.
“I can go back to bed if you’re in the thick of it.” Her voice is full of raspy sleepiness.
“Just finished.”
I watch as she walks to me, wearing another of my shirts. It seems that she prefers to lounge in my things, and I can’t say that it bothers me, not in the least.
She leans her butt on the edge of my desk next to me and crosses her arms over her chest. “What are you working on?”
“A screenplay that I’ve had in my head for a few years,” I reply, scooting my chair back so I can nudge her in front of me, my hands on her hips until I’m staring right at her stomach at navel level.
Her hands immediately find my hair.
“Why couldn’t you sleep?” she asks. Her voice is hushed in the darkness. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s a manifestation of my imagination.
“Sometimes, it’s just hard to unwind after a shift at the pub. What woke you?”
“I don’t know. I just turned over, and you weren’t there. The sheets were cool, and I wondered where you were.”
“So, you found me.”
She smiles softly. “I did. I have a question for you, Shawn.”
“All right.” I lean back and watch her beautiful face, shadowed in the low light. “What is it?”
“I guess I wasn’t as blasé about that woman in the kitchen as I thought I was. I want to make sure that she’s not your girlfriend or anything.”
I frown up at her. “If she was, don’t you think she would have fought a lot harder than she did? Thrown a fit?”
“Well, most would, but not all. Some women are doormats, Shawn. And I know that what’s happening here is casual, but I don’t want to hurt someone who might be in love with you.”
I soften toward her even more. “You’re a sweet woman, Lex. That woman, Taylor, is someone I dated about five years ago. It lasted maybe two weeks before I figured out that she’s definitely not for me. So, no, you’re not encroaching on anyone’s territory. She does seem to still have a thing for me. Though, honestly, who can blame her? I’m handsome. Funny. Charming.”
A smile slips across her delectable mouth. “Humble.”
“That goes without saying, of course.” I lean in and press my cheek to her belly as I wrap my arms around her waist and hug her. “I don’t want to think about her—or anyone else for that matter.”
I only have Lexi here for a few more weeks. I’ll be damned if I waste precious moments on thoughts of Taylor or any other woman when the one I want is standing right in front of me.
I tug the hem of the shirt up, uncovering her bare pussy, and plant a wet kiss on her inner thigh, making her gasp.
I fucking love how responsive she is. How willing to explore new things, and how she trusts me with her body.
I kiss her other thigh and then urge her legs apart just a little more so I can taste her. My lips fasten to her clit, and I press a finger inside her, just as her legs start to tremble.
Christ, I’ll never tire of this. Of watching her body come to life with the touch of my fingers, my tongue.
She’s pulling my hair and crying out as I send her over the first crest, and then without giving her a break, I turn her around, bend her over my desk, and quickly protect us both before easing my way inside her. With one hand planted on the small of her back, and the other gripping her hair, I set a rhythm.
She reaches back for me, and I take her hand and pin it behind her, grinning down at her.
Over the past few days, I’ve learned that Lexi enjoys being restrained. I can’t wait to introduce her to my ropes, but for now, my hands will do.
I tug on her hair, and she stands, easily following my wordless commands.
I kiss the ball of her shoulder, release her hand, and reach around to press my fingertips to her clit.
She comes spectacularly, shivering and moaning, and I can’t help but follow her over.
I pull out of her, turn her to face me, and wrap her in my arms. She’s the perfect match for me sexually, and I plan to take advantage of every opportunity I have to explore with her while she’s here.
She’s bloody amazing.
“Why are we getting along so well?” Lexi asks me several days later as we sit in the office, working on the screenplay. “Like, we haven’t yelled at each other in days.”
“I told you we’d hit our stride,” I reply. “And we have.”
“You’re also not quite so hardheaded,” she replies. “At least, not as bad as you were that first week.”
I grin because I know she’s not going to like my next question.
“But speaking of that, we need to talk about this next scene. The one where she thinks she’s catching the killer, but it’s the wrong guy. I want to discuss the dialogue here. I just don’t think it flows well.”
She blinks at me, and then that scowl slides into place, and I know I’ve pissed her off.
“I’m not trying to make you mad here, Lex. I’m trying to make it sound as good spoken as it does on the page.”
“How do you propose we change it?”
“I want her to speak softer. I know she’s in a potentially dangerous situation, but instead of yelling and being so aggressive, I think her voice should be hard but not raised.”
She shakes her head and rubs her temples. I’m in for a fight.
“I think it’ll be more believable, given how you’ve written her before this scene. She’s not one to fly off the handle.”
“And she’s not doing that now,” she insists. “She’s doing her job. ”
I lick my lips. “She’s being a showboater. She’s showing off, Lexi, and that’s out of character for her.”
“Are we even reading the same book, Shawn? Because that’s not how it’s written at all. Maybe you’re one of those men who’s intimidated by women who feel confident in their job and their skin and know what the hell they’re doing.”
“I’m staring at one of those women, and trust me when I say, I’m not intimidated by you in the least.”
“Well, change my story, and you will be.”
I blow out a gusty breath and stride out of the office, heading straight for the kitchen.
“Don’t run away,” she says as she follows me. “We have to resolve this.”
“After lunch,” I reply as I start pulling out the ingredients for hoagie sandwiches. “I’m hungry, and we need to cool down.”
She sighs and sits on a stool, brooding.
“You’re sexy when you’re mad.”
She doesn’t reply. She just frowns at me.
I finish her sandwich, cut it in half, and slide the plate across the island to her, then start building my own.
“Why are you trying to change my story?” she demands before taking a big bite of roast beef and swiss.
“I’m not.”
“You are. You’re changing her. And I wrote her the way she is for a reason, Shawn.”
I sigh as I close my sandwich and cut it in half. “Did you give your editor this much shit? Or does he just tell you that it’s perfect the way it is?”
“ She gave me plenty of feedback, thank you very much. But she didn’t try to change who the character is.”
“I’m not either, Lexi. I’m just trying to make it flow better for film.”
She shakes her head. “You don’t get it.”
“Then bloody explain it to me, damn it.”
“That character is everything I wish I was, Shawn. She’s brave and strong. Trustworthy. She’s so fucking badass.”
I can only stare at her, shocked by the words coming out of her gorgeous mouth.
“What are you talking about? You’re exactly those things, Lexi.”
She shakes her head again, more stubbornly than before. “No, I’m not. I’m some of those things here , which has been a surprise to me if I’m being honest. But when I’m home, just living my life, I’m not those things at all. I’m a coward. I’d rather sit in my condo and write stories about other badass women than go to the freaking grocery store. I hate leaving my house. I hate crowds. Strangers. People in general.”
“That’s not the woman I know at all,” I reply honestly. “I don’t know who she is. You’re the woman who walked into that kitchen the other night and basically told Taylor to fuck right off.”
“And I’d do it again,” she says without thinking, and then she lets out a little surprised laugh. “See? I don’t know why I had to come to Seattle to find some courage, but…here we are. And, no, I don’t think it’s going to follow me back home.”
“You didn’t have to find anything. Maybe you just had to be out of your element for a while to grow into this part of yourself. It’s not like I hooked you up to a machine and put the sass inside of you.”
“The point is,” she says, “I don’t want to change the tone of that scene. I think it fits perfectly for where we are in the story. It’s written that way on purpose.”
“What if we write it both ways?” I ask her. “And we make a note that the director can make the final call.”
I can see that she’s not convinced. She tells me I’m stubborn all the damn time, but Lexi is the most bullheaded woman I’ve ever met.
“Fine,” she says at last and then passes me her empty plate. “Let’s go do this then, you big bully.”
I laugh as she storms away.
God, she’s something.
We’ve had a slow evening at the pub, which is pretty standard for a Thursday night when it’s not tourist season.
Keegan had to take a call, so I’m manning the bar while Lexi’s in the kitchen. I’m swiftly starting to think of it as her kitchen, as much as she bosses me around.
I don’t mind in the least. She seems to be in her element back there.
I’ve just finished building a Guinness when I hear Maggie yelling at someone across the room. I look up in time to see a man rear his fist back and punch my sister, right in the fucking face.
Cameron, who’s been sitting at the bar, jumps into action, as do I, but before we reach Maggie, she hits the asshole in the nose with the heel of her hand, sending him backwards with blood spattering everywhere.
“You bitch!” he screeches. “You broke my fucking nose.”
“And I’ll take off your wee pecker while I’m at it,” Maggie bites back as Cameron slips his arm around her shoulders. “Slimy ball bag thinks he can put his hands on me.”
“I’m calling the cops,” I say as I pull my phone out of my pocket. Keegan appears and presses a white towel full of ice to Maggie’s eye.
I glance around and see Lexi standing just outside of the kitchen door, her blue eyes big as she takes in the scene.
Are you okay? I mouth to her.
She nods and stays where she is as we wait for the cops and the paramedics to arrive.
Keegan hauled the jerk who dared to put his hands on Maggie outside.
“Are you okay, baby?” Cameron asks my sister. I raise a brow at him, but he’s not paying attention to me.
He only has eyes for Mary Margaret.
What the hell is going on here?
“I’ll be fine,” Maggie insists but sits patiently as Cameron presses the ice to her cheek. “I told him several times that I wasn’t interested. I told him I wasn’t going to serve him alcohol anymore either, because he already had too much. He wouldn’t stop asking me to go back to his vacation rental. Finally, I told him to get out and to never come back. That’s when he hauled off and decked me.”
“Charming,” I mutter. I want to beat the fuck out of the idiot. Based on the way Cameron’s jaw is clenched, I’d say he feels the same way.
“Police are outside arresting him,” Keegan says as he walks inside. “They’d like to ask you a few questions, Maggie.”
“Arresting him?” Maggie asks, surprised.
“For assault. He hit you first. We all saw it. Turns out he has a bit of a rap sheet, so he’ll spend the night in jail, and then he’ll probably be out on bail. But I won’t stand for my employees or my family being assaulted on the job. We serve drinks and food, and that’s it. He doesn’t have the right to touch you.”
“Hell no, he doesn’t,” I add. “If that happens again, we kick them out the first time they proposition you and get pissy after being turned down.”
“I thought I could handle him,” she admits.
“And you fucking did,” Cameron says. “That was a nice shot, by the way.”
“Thanks. I took a self-defense class when Joey was away on his business trips. He never got physical with me, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to know how to protect myself, just in case.”
“I still hate that guy,” I mutter. Maggie’s late husband was a piece of shit. We knew that before he died. And then we learned about a whole bunch of things he’d done that made us hate him even more.
“We’re going to shut down early tonight,” Keegan announces. “Sorry, everyone, we’re closing.”
It doesn’t take us long to settle any outstanding tabs and get the few remaining customers on their way before locking the door.
“I’m taking her home,” Cameron announces as he helps Maggie into her jacket.
“You don’t have to do that,” she insists. “I can get myself home, for God’s sake. It’s just a headache and a swollen eye.”
“I’m taking her home,” Cameron repeats, and Maggie just blows out a gusty breath and mutters something about stubborn men. “I’ll see you later.”
We wave them off. Lexi walks out of the kitchen, already out of her apron.
“I cleaned up back there,” she announces. “Is Maggie okay?”
“She’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Are you okay?”
She frowns. “Of course, I am. I’m not the one who took a punch to the face, thank God.”
Just the thought of a man putting his hands on any woman, especially Lexi, sets my blood to boiling. Maggie didn’t deserve to be hit any more than a dog barking at an intruder.
“I just have to help Keegan close up, and then I’ll be ready to go.”
“Go,” Keegan says. “I’ve got this. I could use some time alone.”
“If you’re sure.”
He nods. “I’m sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”