Chapter 7 West
WEST
Heat swirled around me, almost as if I were swimming in lava. It should’ve burned, but I only wanted more, pushing into it.
A little moan broke through my hazy dream state, and my eyes popped open. I was curled around luscious curves, the scent of honeysuckle teasing my nose. Lex’s deep brown hair was tangled around her shoulders.
Shit. We’d slept together all night. I hadn’t meant to, but her words had broken me. “I’m scared.” I could handle many things, but that wasn’t one of them.
Lex rolled into me, her eyes lazily opening and then widening in shock. “Hi,” she squeaked.
I shifted, trying to create distance between my cock and where it desperately wanted to be.
“You two are cute.”
My head jerked up, taking in my sister. She held a bowl of cereal, happily munching away. Hell. I’d never hear the end of it now. Cara had always thought Lex and I should date. I glared at her. “It’s creepy to watch people sleep.”
She just shrugged and took another bite. “I was just innocently getting breakfast, and what did I find?” She let out a mock gasp. “My brother and my best friend tangled in each other’s arms. The horror!”
Lex scrambled off the couch. “Sorry I fell asleep on you,” she mumbled, her cheeks red. She glanced at Cara. “I couldn’t sleep. We were just talking and, uh, I guess I fell asleep.”
It was the best sleep I’d had in years. When you saw the kinds of things I did, rest didn’t come easily.
But something about Lex’s presence had soothed the worst of that, helping me to let down my guard.
But that was the last thing I should be doing right now.
Hell, Cara had waltzed into the living room, and I hadn’t been aware.
Cara chuckled. “You know I don’t care. Bang away. Just no nudity in the living room, please. Take that shit to your bedroom.”
“Cara,” I barked, sitting up. “That’s not what’s happening.”
Hurt flashed across Lex’s face. “I’m going to get ready for work.”
She disappeared before I could say another word.
Cara scowled at me. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? You’re the one coming in here and making us both feel uncomfortable. We fell asleep on the couch. That’s it.”
Somehow, in the light of day, it was easier to ignore the confessions I’d made in the dark. The ones where I’d spilled what I’d want if things were different. But things weren’t different. My life wasn’t in Crooked Creek. And Lex was a client. Muddying those waters would be a recipe for disaster.
Cara’s eyes narrowed on me. “Stop lying to yourself. I’ve seen the way you look at her. And I’m not an idiot. Whenever you call, you just conveniently lead the conversation around to Lex so you can ask how she’s doing.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at Cara. “It’s called making conversation.” Liar, liar, liar, echoed in my head.
Cara rolled her eyes and stood, heading for the kitchen. “You need to pull your head out of your ass before you lose what’s right in front of you.”
A phantom weight settled in my gut at Cara’s words.
I’d thought a million times about what would happen when I heard that Lex had settled down.
She’d had a couple of boyfriends in the past, and each time Cara had informed me of such, I’d wanted to break something.
But the thought of something final like marriage and babies? That would break me.
I stood and stalked toward Cara’s room. “I’m using your bathroom.”
“Whatever,” she muttered.
I grabbed my duffel on the way and slammed the door behind me. I turned the shower on as cold as it would go, as if that would somehow snuff out the heat still thrumming through me from holding Lex all night.
Stepping under the spray, my lungs seized, but I didn’t move. I let the water pound down until my body was under control. By the time I was out and dressed, I felt a little less crazed.
I pulled out my phone and texted Holt.
Me: Heading to the coffee shop with Lex.
He was clearly already up because I had a response in seconds.
Holt: I’ll meet you there in a bit. I’m going over the report from the tech team.
I itched to ask him for details but pushing would only show that I was too emotionally invested in this case. Holt would send me packing before I knew what had happened.
Me: Sounds good.
I stuffed my dirty clothes into the duffel and headed out the door. Hushed voices came from the kitchen. I strained to hear what they said.
Cara’s voice raised a fraction. “Don’t let him get to you.”
“He gives me whiplash. One second, I think we’re friends. The next, it’s like he can’t even stand to be in the same room as me.”
I winced. I was an asshole. There was no question. I had to figure out a way to keep my distance from Lex but not hurt her in the process.
I cracked my neck and headed into the living room. My steps faltered as I caught sight of Lex. Even though we were deep into fall, she wore a sundress that ended a couple of inches above her knees. That golden skin seemed to go on for miles. I wanted to trace each dip and curve with my tongue.
The oranges and reds of the fabric made Lex’s eyes glow gold. It was like some sort of hypnotizing magic that made it impossible to look away from her. Part of me was aware of that mahogany hair curled in loose waves around her face. The swells of her breasts beneath the figure-hugging top.
But I couldn’t tear myself away from her eyes. They held me captive.
Distance. Some part of my mind screamed it. But it was no use.
I was so screwed.