Chapter 10
The next morning, Lexi was awakened by the warmth of Quentin’s lips gently nibbling her earlobe. She sighed, a slow, delicious languor spreading through her limbs.
“Good morning.” His low, sleep-roughened voice rumbled against her ear, curling her toes and sending tingles to her stomach.
“Good morning.” Without opening her eyes she stretched, rubbing her backside along his warm, muscular body spooning hers.
Quentin groaned, his penis hardening against her bottom. “See what you started, woman? And I was gonna let you sleep in this morning.”
“How? By assaulting my earlobe?”
He chuckled softly, nuzzling her neck. His warm breath made her shiver. “Take a shower with me.”
She groaned protestingly. “But I want to sleep in. You promised I could.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Too bad,” she retorted with a smile. “It’s Tuesday. I don’t have class until this afternoon. It’s not my fault you have to be at the office at the crack of dawn, Counselor.”
“Don’t make me seduce you,” he warned silkily, brushing the head of his erection across her butt. As heat bloomed between her thighs, she laughed and scooted out of reach.
Growling softly, Quentin hooked his arm over her waist and turned her around to face him. Dark stubble covered his jaw, making him look so rakishly sexy her breath caught.
He leaned down and kissed her, a sweet, soft kiss that opened up something deep inside her. Something she was afraid to identify.
Lifting his head, he smiled into her eyes. “Hey, sweetness.”
She smiled shyly. “Hey.”
“Sleep good?”
“When? You kept me up practically all night.”
He grinned wolfishly. “I didn’t hear you complaining last night.”
And he never would, she thought. The man knew how to handle his business, and then some.
“So, listen, I was thinking we could stay in tonight,” he suggested, idly running his fingers through her tousled bangs. “Maybe order some takeout and rent a movie.”
Striving to match his casual tone, Lexi said, “Sure. That sounds like a plan.”
“Good.” His eyes glinted. “And I want a rain check on that shower, woman.”
“So bossy,” she grumbled.
“Damn straight.” He gave her a quick, hard kiss, then rolled away and swung his long legs over the edge of the bed.
As he sauntered lazily to the master bathroom, Lexi propped her head in her hand and shamelessly admired the view of his naked backside—wide shoulders, round butt, powerful thighs and toned calves.
Um-mmm-umph!
As he disappeared into the bathroom, she let out a lusty sigh and fell back against her pillows with a lascivious grin.
Moments later she heard the blast of the shower. When Quentin began crooning an off-key version of “A Whole New World,” she stared at the door in delighted surprise, then dissolved into laughter.
As she snuggled back under the warm covers and tried to grab a few more winks of sleep, Quentin’s cell phone buzzed on the bedside table, signaling that he had an incoming text message.
Lexi ignored it and closed her eyes.
Half a minute later, she heard another buzz. She opened her eyes and leveled a glare at the phone. It wasn’t his BlackBerry, which he reserved for business. This was his personal cell phone, so whoever was trying to reach him would just have to wait.
Another incoming message sounded.
Heaving an exasperated breath, Lexi sat up and grabbed the phone, intending to turn down the volume. But when she saw a woman’s name on the caller display screen, she paused.
Jocelyn—whoever she was—had sent pictures to Quentin.
At five-thirty in the morning.
Lexi frowned, an uneasy feeling creeping over her.
Who the hell is Jocelyn?
She gnawed her lip, her gaze shuttling between the bathroom door and the phone in her hand.
Don’t do it, her conscience warned. You know better than anyone that no good can come of snooping through a man’s belongings. It only leads to disillusionment and heartache.
On the other hand, Lexi argued back, it’s better to know the truth—no matter how painful—than to continue living a lie.
As she’d already learned the hard way, ignorance was not bliss.
The phone buzzed again.
With a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, Lexi pressed the button to retrieve the first message.
An involuntary gasp escaped her.
It was a picture of a beautiful, dark-skinned woman lounging seductively on a bed. She wore a sultry smile and skimpy red panties, her arms coquettishly crossed over her ample, naked breasts. The text message read: Want to see the rest? Give me a call, Counselor.
Lexi clicked off the picture with trembling fingers and swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat.
Why are you so upset? her conscience demanded. It’s not as if you and Quentin are a couple. Just because you shared one hot, unbelievably spectacular night of lovemaking doesn’t mean he’s ready to give up his womanizing ways.
Besides, she thought cynically, some of the best sex she’d ever had with her ex-husband came right after he’d been with his mistress. Guilt sex, he’d later confessed to her.
Lexi grimaced. God, she’d been such a fool to think that Quentin Reddick could ever change.
“Hey, Lex,” he called from the shower. “Sure you don’t wanna join me in here? The water’s real nice and hot.”
Her temper flared.
Flinging back the covers, she lunged from the bed, yanked on her rumpled blouse and skirt, then stalked over to the bathroom.
Inside the steamy glass stall, Quentin stood with his eyes closed and his face lifted to the shower spray as water rushed down his naked, glistening muscles. Ignoring the way her belly clenched, she snatched open the door.
When Quentin glanced around in surprise, she said with stinging sweetness, “I wouldn’t care to join you, but I’m sure Jocelyn would jump at the chance. Why don’t you ask her?”
Quentin frowned, blinking water from his long lashes. “Who?”
“Jocelyn,” Lexi spat, shoving the cell phone up to his face.
He took one look at the provocative photo, then closed his eyes and groaned. “Lex, it’s not what you—”
“Save it.” She spun around and marched back into the bedroom, tossing the phone onto the bed.
As she retrieved her discarded bra and panties from the floor, she heard the water shut off.
She hurriedly tugged on her underwear and pulled down her skirt just as Quentin strode from the bathroom, a towel haphazardly draped around his hips and water streaming down his chest.
“Listen to me,” he said urgently. “I’m not sleeping with that woman—”
“Yet.” Lexi smirked, her bra balled up in her fist. “But it’s only a matter of time, right? I mean, I know how fast you work. Well, except in my case. It took you a bit longer to get me into bed, but hey, good things come to those who wait, right?”
His heavy brows slammed together as he advanced on her. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Admit it, Quentin,” she taunted, backing away from him. “You’ve always loved a good challenge. And what could be more challenging than getting your best friend of twenty years into bed?”
He stopped short, staring at her incredulously. “You honestly think that’s what last night was about?”
Instead of answering that, she demanded, “Who’s Jocelyn?”
He scowled. “She’s nobody.”
Lexi snorted derisively. “She must be somebody if she’s up at the crack of dawn sending you half-naked pictures of herself.”
Quentin started toward her again, the towel sliding precariously lower on his lean hips. “Listen to me—”
“When?”
“When what?”
“When did you meet her, Quentin? Before or after you kissed me in Burgundy?”
He hesitated, jaw clenched. “I met her last Wednesday. She’s—”
“So that would be after we got back from Burgundy, correct?”
“Yeah, but it’s not like that. She’s one of our new clients—”
“A client? That’s even worse!”
As Lexi pivoted and strode from the bedroom, Quentin followed her. “Damn it, Lex. If you’d just let me explain—”
“There’s nothing to explain,” she cut him off. “If you see nothing wrong with sleeping with your clients, that’s your business.”
“I’m not sleeping with her!” he roared.
“Well, she seems pretty confident that you will be soon enough. And if she’s just a client, why the hell is she calling your personal cell phone? Explain that!”
Quentin was hot on her heels as she hurried down the staircase and headed toward the foyer. Her trench coat, shoes and pantyhose lay in a bundle near the front door, taunting her with memories of last night.
As she jammed her feet into her stilettos, she muttered caustically, “I don’t even know why I’m surprised. I mean, the morning after you kissed me, I saw that supermodel slinking out of your damn room.”
Quentin frowned. “You saw her?”
“Sure did. I was on my way to your room to walk you downstairs for breakfast. Before I could even reach the door, Giselle came strutting out in a sexy little dress.”
“Nothing happened,” Quentin insisted. “She sneaked into my room that morning—”
“Sneaked?” Lexi repeated skeptically.
“Yes,” he snapped. “We weren’t staying at a hotel, so I didn’t think to lock my door when I went to bed. Anyway, she was waiting for me when I came out of the bathroom. I politely told her I wasn’t interested and sent her on her way.”
“Staring at her ass until she was out of sight,” Lexi jeered.
He scowled. “I wanted to make sure she really left.”
“Whatever.” Lexi shoved her arms into her coat, working hard not to stare at a bead of water that trickled down his chiseled six-pack and disappeared beneath the waistband of his towel. Note to self: next time you have an argument with a gorgeous hunk, make sure he’s fully clothed!
As Quentin reached for her, she batted his hand away and snatched her purse off the foyer table.
He sighed harshly. “Don’t leave like this, Lex. Let’s talk—”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” She glared at him.
“No sane woman would send a man risqué photos of herself unless he gave her the impression that such photos would be welcomed and appreciated. So at the very least you must have flirted with her. Which wouldn’t be so bad if she weren’t your client, and if you hadn’t kissed me the day before and told me that you couldn’t stop thinking about me! ”
“That wasn’t a lie,” Quentin growled. “I can’t stop thinking about you, damn it.”
“Riiight. I notice you didn’t refute the part about flirting with that woman and leading her on.” She shook her head in angry disgust. “You’re so predictable, Quentin.”
As she spun toward the front door he grabbed her arm. She tried to twist out of his grasp, but he was too strong. Thinking fast, she snatched off his towel and hurled it across the room, as far as she could throw it.
Cursing a blue streak, Quentin released her and went to retrieve the towel, giving her an opportunity to make her escape.
By the time he recovered and came after her, she was already at the elevator.
“Lexi!” he called, striding purposefully down the corridor. “Wait, damn it!”
One of his neighbors emerged from his condo, took one look at Quentin in his bath towel and arched an amused brow.
Lexi jumped into the elevator and quickly stabbed the down button. As the doors began to close, she heard the man joke, “You must be losing your touch, Reddick.”
Scowling, Quentin gave him the finger and stalked back to his penthouse.