The Scientist

Chapter 23

“H ang up and call the cops,” Lex said sternly. “Get back to your car. I’m on my way.” Just as he said those words, the man walked out from under the shadow of the porch. I recognized that face instantly.

My eyes widened with shock. “It’s Garrett.”

“What?” Lex said, sounding just as shocked. “As in your ex-boyfriend Garrett?”

“Hey, baby,” Garrett called out to me, smiling as he walked down my porch steps.

“ Baby ?” Lex said with quiet fury.

“I’ll call you back.” I hung up before things got worse.

“What are you doing here?” I asked right before he swept me up in a hug and spun me around.

“I’m so happy to see you,” he said in my hair.

“Garrett, what are you doing here?” I asked again, extricating myself from his grasp.

“I came to see you, of course!” He said it as if it were a ridiculous question.

“I haven’t heard from you in almost five months,” I said. “Why would you just show up here?”

“I was trying to give you space. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“We. Broke. Up.” I couldn’t believe I was having to spell this out for him.

“I realize that, but…” He looked around at some of my neighbors walking up the sidewalk to their homes. “Look, can we go inside and talk? There are some things I want to say to you.”

I sighed. I guess I owed it to him since he came all this way. “Fine,” I said, leading the way. “How did you even know where I lived?”

“My sister gave me your address. She had it from when she mailed you that stuff for your mom.”

Sophie . I forgot I had given her my address so she could send my mom some essential oils that were supposed to be for healing. I really didn’t believe in all that crap, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

As I got to my porch, I noticed a suitcase sitting next to the door. “Really?” My eyes rolled in frustration. “You were planning on staying here?”

“Well, yeah. I flew all the way to California to see you.”

I shook my head as we walked inside. “Garrett, you should have called.”

“I wanted to surprise you,” he said, shutting the door behind him. “And besides, I thought you’d say no if I told you.”

Irritation spread down my spine, and I fought the urge to lash out at him.

“If you thought I’d say no, then you shouldn’t have come,” I said more calmly than I felt.

He looked over my face as we stood in the foyer of my home. “I’m sorry.” He pushed his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes before stuffing them in his pockets. “I really was trying to give you space. I guess I was hoping you would change your mind. It’s been tough for me not having you anymore to talk to every day. You were my best friend. I miss you, Hadley.”

My heart squeezed sympathetically. “I’ve missed your friendship too, Garrett.” I chose my words carefully, not wanting to give him an inkling of false hope.

“Is that all you’ve missed?” he asked, his blue eyes showing his devastation. I hated this feeling. I hated this, but I nodded, because it was the truth.

“You didn’t even give us a chance. We could have made it work. I still think we can.”

I stopped him before he went any further. “I’m sorry you came all this way, but there’s nothing you can say to change my mind. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

He still seemed determined. “You’re going to come back to New York eventually. What then?”

I paused for a beat, knowing what I was about to say next was going to sting. “We still won’t be getting back together.”

He stared at me blankly for a few moments before his chin dipped. “Jesus, Hadley. Was I really that horrible?”

“Of course not,” I said quickly. “You’re a great guy, and you’re going to make some other lucky woman really happy one day.”

He looked crestfallen.“Some other woman, huh?”

I wanted to look away from the hurt I saw plainly on his face, but I made myself meet his stare. “I’m sorry, Garrett.”

He nodded like he finally understood. “At least I got to see your face one more time.” His eyes softened as he looked over at me. “I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen you in so long, but you look… different,” he said softly. “You were always beautiful, Hadley, but now… I can’t explain it. You just lookradiant.” I didn’t know what to say, so I stood there and let him take me in. He stepped closer, lifting his hand to my face. “It makes it even harder to look at you… seeing what I lost.”

His fingertips barely skimmed my cheek before I registered what he was trying to do. Discomfort prickled at my skin, and I jerked back, but the movement halted as the front door suddenly swung open. Lex stood in the doorway, his expression cold and unreadable, but the quiet menace in his eyes was unmistakable.

His gaze went straight to Garrett’s outstretched hand, sharp and unyielding, as though calculating exactly how to remove it.

“Take your hand off of her,” Lex said, his voice dark and measured. “Now.”

Garrett dropped his hand quickly as if it had been burned, confusion pulling his brows together.

“Lex, nothing happened,” I said, knowing how bad this looked. “And nothing was going to happen, I swear,” I added quickly.

Lex’s expression shifted for a moment, softening as his eyes met mine. “I know that,” he said, his voice steady. But as his gaze shifted to Garrett, his features hardened once more. “Does he?”

“Hadley, who the hell is this guy?” Garrett demanded.

I moved to stand between the two men, feeling like I’d willingly trapped myself inside a thundercloud.

“Garrett, this is Alexsander Strovinski. He’s a researcher here at the university.” I paused, unsure if I was ready for the fallout of my next admission, but I had to be honest with him. “And he’s the man I’ve been seeing.”

Garrett peered at me with a look of betrayal. “Are you serious? You’re seeing someone else?”

I nodded. “Yes. And I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but we aren’t together anymore, Garrett. We’ve been apart for almost as long as we were together. It’s over. It’s been over.”

His frustration mounted, his hand raking through his hair in an agitated motion. “Unbelievable. I told you I loved you.”

The words tugged at something in me, but I couldn’t shake the suspicion that it was an attempt to manipulate my emotions. It felt eerily familiar, the same uneasy feeling I had the first time he said it.

“And I told you that I didn’t feel the same,” I said with a calmness I didn’t feel. “I’m sorry, but this was never going to work.”

He stepped forward, desperation creeping into his movements as he grabbed my arm, fingers digging into my skin. “How can you say that? We were so good together, Hadley,” he said urgently. “You never gave us a real chance.”

“Garrett, don’t,” I said, trying to pull my arm out of his grasp.

In an instant, Lex was between us, forcing Garrett back without so much as a push. He didn’t raise his voice, didn’t snarl. Instead, he leaned closer to Garrett, his voice quiet but deliberate.

“I’m only going to say this one more time,” Lex said, his tone so devoid of emotion, it sent an icy chill down my spine. “Keep your hand off her, or I’ll make sure you never use it again.”

Garrett appeared visibly rattled, but he stood his ground. “I would never hurt her.”

Lex scoffed. “You’ve made it clear there are very few lines you aren’t willing to cross,” he said, low but cutting. “You showed up to her house without bothering to ask if she even wanted you here. You refused to listen when she’s told you multiple times that it’s over. And twice you’ve laid a hand on her without permission. Forgive me if I’m not inclined to take your word for it.”

Garrett stood there for a moment, his eyes flicking between me and Lex, trying to process what had just unfolded. Lex’s words seemed to stir something in him, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of realization in Garrett’s eyes—an understanding of just how far he’d pushed.

“I’m sorry, Hadley,” he said quietly, the fight draining out of him. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“It’s okay,” I said reflexively, even though Lex was right. None of this was okay.

“No. It’s not,” Lex said coldly. “I think you need to leave.”

Garrett’s brows shot up. “Where am I supposed to go?”

“There’s a bus stop in town,” Lex said. “Start there.”

“It took me forever just to find this place. I have no idea where to go.”

“You probably should have thought of that before showing up here uninvited,” Lex answered flatly.

“Lex, can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked, my conscience tugging at me despite everything. I couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for Garrett. As much as he was an idiot for coming here and not even bothering to call, I still didn’t want to throw him out without any place to stay.

Lex let me lead him to the kitchen where Garrett couldn’t overhear us, but before I could get the words out, Lex turned and said, “He’s not staying here with you.”

He appeared resolute, but I still pled my case. “Lex, he’s not from here, and it’s getting late. I have the spare bedroom, or he can take the couch. He can find a hotel in the morning.”

“No,” he said, clearly unmoved. “There’s no way he’s sleeping here with you. He’s obviously incapable of keeping his hands to himself.”

I didn’t fear Garrett, not in the way Lex was implying. But I couldn’t deny that if the situation were reversed, I’d be uneasy too, especially given the stellar first impression Garrett had just made.

“Then what do you suggest?” I asked.

He thought about it briefly. “He can stay at my place with Stuart. I’ll stay in the spare bedroom.”

My heart beat unevenly. Neither of us had spent the night at each other’s place yet, so I knew he was trying not to be presumptive by suggesting the spare bedroom. But I also knew there was no way in hell this beautiful man was going to be under my roof, but not in my bed. Especially since I could practically hear my mattress begging for his company. But I didn’t mention that little detail.

“Okay,” I agreed, swallowing thickly.

He gazed at me curiously for a moment before nodding and taking my hand to walk back to the foyer.

“You can stay at my place tonight,” he said to Garrett. “I need to check with my roommate first, but I don’t think he’ll mind.”

Garrett seemed to find the idea distasteful. “ Your place?”

“It’s either that or a park bench,” Lex replied casually. “Your choice… Truly, I couldn’t care less either way.”

I shot Garrett a look of annoyance. Didn’t he know fishing for scraps meant no complaining about the seasoning?

“Fine,” he grumbled.

Lex didn’t bother to respond. He kissed the top of my head and said, “I need to get back to work to tell Stuart what’s going on.”

“Okay,” I said again. I didn’t know if I should thank him or apologize for dragging him into something that wasn’t his fight.

“You can wait outside,” he said in Garrett’s general direction.

Garrett hesitated, looking to me for support, but I shook my head. Garrett sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Without another word, he stepped outside, the door shutting behind him with a soft click that felt heavier than it should.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, breaking the silence.

“For what?” Lex asked, turning to me. The hardness in his features eased, though the edge of protectiveness remained.

“For Garrett showing up here. For dragging you into this. For all of it.”

"Hadley, it's not your fault that he came here uninvited, put his hands on you, and then tried to guilt you into something you didn’t want."

"I know," I said softly. "I just didn't want things to end like this. He’s not a bad person, Lex. He's just... lost. And I feel responsible for that.”

Lex stepped closer, his hands brushing my arms before settling gently on my waist. "Garrett isn't your responsibility," he said intently. "I know you care about him, but you can’t set yourself on fire just to keep someone else warm."

His words hit their mark, unraveling something inside me. "You're right," I whispered, closing my eyes and resting my forehead against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

As he held me, the contrast between these two men became glaringly obvious—Garrett was a storm, unpredictable and consuming, while Lex was the calm after, steady and grounding, like the earth beneath my feet.

"You okay?" he asked when I finally pulled away.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, quickly wiping a stray tear from my cheek.

He put a finger under my chin, tilting it up to his face as he scanned my features for any sign of distress. "I'll stay if you want me to."

I shook my head. "I'm okay, I promise." I gave him my best reassuring smile.

He stared at me for a moment longer then pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back. I just need to make sure Stuart’s okay with Garrett crashing at our place.”

I nodded. "Okay."

He turned to leave, pausing with his hand on the knob. “Lock this behind me. I won’t be long.”

I felt the urge to defend Garrett, to push back at the implication that he was dangerous, but I realized Lex was right. Garrett wasn't my responsibility anymore, and I didn't owe him protection or defense.

After Lex left, I threw myself into making dinner, using the steady rhythm of chopping and stirring to distract myself from the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind. By the time I started plating the chicken Florentine, Lex had returned to pick up Garrett, who had indeed stayed outside on my porch as instructed.

Once the food was ready, I carried a couple of plates over to Stuart and Garrett. Guilt pricked at me for leaving Stuart to play host, but I thought it was best that we not all have dinner together for obvious reasons.

Stuart didn’t seem the least bit bothered as he was practically doubled over, laughing his ass off at the absurdity of the whole situation. "You're going to owe me big time for this one, Betty," Stuart said, still trying to catch his breath from wheezing with laughter.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “I know. I’m really sorry I had to ask you to do this.”

"Hey, what are friends for if not to babysit your ex-boyfriend while your new boyfriend channels his inner hall monitor?"

I shook my head. "I think you need new friends."

"Never," he said with a wink. "Not when my old onesare so endlessly entertaining."

"Ready?" Lex's voice interrupted as he walked down the stairs, a small overnight bag slung over his shoulder.

I nodded before turning to Stuart. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"Don't worry, Betty. I used to babysit my three-year-old nieces all the time. Tears, tantrums, and full-blown meltdowns are all well within my wheelhouse. If he shits his pants, though, he's all yours."

With a shake of my head, I followed Lex out the door.

When we got back to my place, I grabbed our plates from the kitchen, and we sat down to eat together. The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the faint clink of utensils against plates. Lex sat across from me, barely touching his food, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond his plate. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, the quiet intensity of his thoughts filling the space between us.

I shifted uncomfortably, trying to read his expression, but it was too guarded, too thoughtful. Was he upset? Did I push him too far? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d done something wrong, that he was angry with me for letting Garrett back into my life in any capacity. The thought gnawed at me as each passing second amplified my uncertainty, until I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to say something.

“Are we okay?” I finally blurted out.

Lex’s eyes snapped to mine, surprise flickering across his face. “Always,” he answered without hesitation. “Why would you ask?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. “You seem... distant.”

“I’m sorry,” he began, his voice softer now. “I’ve just been having some doubts about a few things.”

My stomach tightened. “A-about us?”

“Of course not,” he said firmly.

"Then what is it?" I asked hesitantly.

He sighed. "I’ve just been thinking... I don’t know if I handled this whole situation with Garrett the way that I should have."

“What do you mean?”

He rubbed his jaw, his expression becoming thoughtful. “I'm still angry that he showed up here uninvited, and I stand by what I said—he shouldn’t have put his hands on you,” he explained. “But I started thinking on the way over here that I might have more empathy for him than I care to admit.”

I blinked, surprised. “Empathy? Why?”

He hesitated, his expression tightening. “I realized that could’ve been me,” he said, his voice barely above a murmur. “If you ever left me, I don’t think I’d be above showing up at your door, desperate for another chance... It would be just as hard for me to accept that things were over.” His gaze drifted downward as he let out a heavy sigh. "I guess what I’m trying to say is I understand his motivations, even if I don’t agree with his methods.”

A swirl of emotions rose in me—surprise, tenderness, and a deep ache for the vulnerability he rarely showed. Without thinking, I crossed the room and folded myself into his lap, wrapping my arms around him. His arms encircled me tightly, holding me as if I might disappear.

“You’re a good person,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

“I don’t know about that,” he replied with a soft, self-deprecating smile. “But I’ve watched you be kind to people who didn’t deserve it. That’s what made me start thinking about all of this in the first place. I wondered how you would’ve responded if you were in my shoes, and I realized you would’ve handled it with kindness.”

I shook my head. “You’re giving me way more credit than I deserve.”

“I don’t think I am.” He smiled faintly, brushing a lock of hair away from my face.

I pressed my forehead to his, and we sat in silence for a moment, the weight of everything starting to lift. His arms were strong around me, grounding, and I let myself sink into that warmth, feeling safe in a way I hadn’t in a long time.

His gaze lifted to mine, raw and unguarded. “I don’t want to lose you,” he murmured.

The heartache in his voice brought tears to my eyes. I tightened my hold on him, pressing my lips to his forehead. “You’re not going to lose me.”

He closed his eyes, and I could see the tension around the edges had relaxed a little. I stroked my thumb across his cheek, my heart breaking for how unnerved he had become. I then kissed each of his cheeks before pressing my mouth against his. I’d meant it to be reassuring, but my body immediately reacted to the taste.

After a few moments, I coaxed his lips to part so that I could feel his tongue against mine. He obliged, opening to me, and our tongues tangled. His hands pressed into my back, holding me to him as I ran my fingers through his soft hair. Heat pooled at my core with each passing sweep of his tongue across mine. I turned to put one leg on each side of his hips, and a low moan escaped from the back of his throat as I pressed our hips together.

“I want you,” I whispered against his lips, and it was true in every way. I wanted this man, body and soul, and I realized how much time I'd been wasting. Lex and I belonged together. Unfortunately, it had taken seeing Garrett again for me to realize just how true that really was.

He stood with me wrapped around him, never breaking our kiss as he walked me up the stairs to the bedroom as if I weighed nothing. When we reached the foot of the bed, I let my legs drop down and I stepped away from him. I pulled my shirt over my head and dropped my pants down to the floor until I was in nothing but my lacy black underwear and bra. His eyes were smoldering as they raked slowly over my entire body.

Never breaking our eye contact, I reached behind my back, unhooking my bra, and let it fall to the floor. I watched his lips part, his eyes fixated on me as I pulled my underwear down and stepped out of them. There wasn’t any part of me that felt shy or uncertain as I stood there stark naked in front of him. I couldn’t help but feel like a goddess with the blazing look he was giving me.

I walked backward until my legs hit the bed and looked at him expectantly.

His tongue slid slowly across his bottom lip. “Somehow, you look even sexier than every fantasy I’ve had about you,” he said brusquely.

I smiled, scooting myself back onto the bed. I got up onto my knees and started to pull him toward me.

“Do you think about me naked?” I asked in a low, husky voice that I barely recognized as my own.

“Yes.” He swallowed thickly. “A lot more than I probably should,” he finished quietly.

I slid my fingers beneath the hem of his shirt, my fingertips brushing lightly against his skin. I felt him shudder as I pulled it over his head.

“Good,” I said, running my hands over his chest through that small patch of hair at the center. “Because I think about you inside me,” I whispered, kissing along his chest. “A lot more than I probably should.”

He groaned at my words as another Russian expletive escaped his lips. My mouth found his, and we began kissing in earnest. I fumbled with the buckle of his pants until his hands replaced mine as he rushed to unfasten his belt before letting them drop to the floor. Sitting back on the bed, I leaned up on my elbows, waiting for him to follow. He stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes moving slowly along every inch of my bare skin. His gaze became fixed on the spot between my legs, staring at me hungrily until I was pulsating with need.

“Come here,” I whispered and his eyes flared.

The bed dipped under his weight as he climbed on, his irises blazing in the dull light. My breath seized in my chest as he hovered just above me, my peaked nipples grazing sensitively across his chest. Our lips found each other again, and I let my hands explore his body, moving down his chest, over his toned abdomen, and slipping into his underwear. He groaned into my mouth as I stroked his hard length. A wave of aching need swept through me. He pulled back a fraction and said, “If you keep doing that, this is going to be over before it even starts.”

I smiled against his lips. “Do you have a…”

He nodded, reaching for his wallet and pulling out a condom. I took it from him before pushing on his chest for him to lie back. The tendons in his neck became strained as I kissed my way down the length of his torso before curling my fingers into the elastic waistband. He lifted for me, and I tugged his underwear all the way down, tossing them with the rest of our discarded clothes.

I stroked him leisurely, taking my time and admiring his fully naked form as he watched me with hooded eyes. I tore the condom wrapper apart between my teeth, our eyes locked together as I rolled it over him slowly. His cock twitched and a throaty rumble came from deep within his chest. I knew he’d reached his limit.

His hands gripped my waist almost painfully as he flipped me onto my back. He used his knees to part my legs and lined himself up at my entrance. My heart was pounding as he leaned down and kissed me for a few minutes longer until I was panting with need. Slowly, deliciously, he slid inside, inch by inch, stopping when he reached the hilt.

I watched his eyes squeeze shut as a raw, breathless groan escaped his throat. My head fell back, and I moaned his name, savoring the stretching sensation.My hands moved over his broad shoulders and down the muscles of his back, holding him to me. I needed him to move before I combusted.

“Lex…” I pleaded, starting to move my hips, but he pinned them down, not letting me move an inch.

“Wait,” he said, low in my ear. “It feels too good.” His voice was strained, so I remained still. The only movement was that of our chests rising and falling heavily together. His face was tucked into my neck, and I could hear him mumbling something in Russian.

After a few moments of feeling like I might die if he didn’t start moving soon, he pulled back to look me in the eyes before unleashing his full potential. I held on, digging my fingers into the hard planes of his back as he picked up the pace. He hooked an arm under one of my legs, pushing it up and changing the angle before slamming into me as a ragged moan tore from my throat. He did it again, eliciting the same guttural response.

“Fuck, Hadley,” he groaned. “I think I could come just from hearing the sounds you're making.”

My fingernails dug into his shoulders as I looked up at him. “You like hearing what you do to me.”

He grinned devilishly. “I like watching it more,” he said before slamming into me again, and I cried out.

Lex watched me closely—every flutter of my eyelid, every gasping breath, every tremor coursing through me as he thrust into me over and over. I hooked my other leg around his waist, wanting the feel of his weight on top of me. He knew what I wanted without me having to say it as he lowered himself down until his chest was pressed against mine.

“It used to keep me up at night,” he said as his hands moved continuously over my body, touching, teasing. “Thinking of all the things I want to do to you,” he murmured against my throat.

I took his face in between my hands, shivering at the intensity and raw emotion I saw burning in his eyes. “Show me,” I whispered back. His head suddenly dipped to capture my lips.

It seemed that Lex knew my body better than even I did because every twist and turn, every angle explored, had me engulfed in a sea of ecstasy.

I reached my hands up above my head to push against the headboard, trying to provide resistance as he rocked into me.

He sat up abruptly, gripping his hands tightly around my hips, and lifted them up off the bed before pulling me down onto his hard length as he pushed in deep. The movement caught me by surprise as the mounting pleasure suddenly crescendoed. The tension exploded and I shattered around him, my back arching off the bed. His name came out as a strangled moan as he continued pumping into me.

As I floated down from the highest peak, my body was pulsating with pleasure as I gazed up at his beautiful body still pushing into me. He was in rapture watching our joined pelvises and his breathing became more labored. It wasn’t long until his movements became jerkier, and he sucked in a sharp breath before collapsing on top of me with one final stroke, groaning into my neck.

We lay together, still joined, waiting for our breathing to slow. I stroked my fingers up and down his spine. My body felt languid and incredibly satiated. He rolled onto his side, pulling me close to his chest. He gazed at me for a while, whispering my name as he pushed the hair out of my face.

I felt a tear escape from the tenderness of the moment. My emotional scale wasn’t even registering. His forehead wrinkled as he swiped the tear away with his fingertips. He propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes searching my face. “Tell me you’re okay,” he said, concern plainly on his features.

“Better than okay,” I breathed. “That was… you were… it was incredible,” I rambled, unable to form a coherent thought.

Amusement played across his lips. “I thought so, too.”

I let my fingertips drift across his neck. “So does that mean you’re ready for round two?” I asked, my body somehow already aching for more.

He grinned, his eyes moving tenderly across my face. “Three and four as well.”