Chapter 30
“Y ou’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Sarah said as she shot up to her feet with a look of murder in her eyes.Nicky was standing near the edge of the crowd, looking around uncomfortably until her eyes found me.
Lex turned and saw what we were staring at. His entire demeanor changed, and I barely recognized the man standing in front of me as his face held an expression of pure loathing.
“I guess I didn’t make myself clear enough.” His voice was unnervingly calm, but his tone was lethal.
She put her hands up. “Wait! Please, I just came to talk to Hadley.”
Everyone turned to stare at me.
Lex glared at her. “You’re done.”
“Please, I’m begging you. I know I fucked up, but just let me talk to Hadley. It will only take five minutes. I swear, after that, I’ll leave. Just… please.”
As I looked at her, practically in tears, I made my decision. I got up and put my hand on Lex’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to her.”
“Hadley…” he said.
“I’m just going to hear her out,” I told him. “After that, you can make your decision.”
He looked into my eyes for a few moments, searching. For what, I didn’t know. I guess whatever he found was enough to convince him that I was okay because he finally nodded at me.
I followed her out to a quieter area near the lake, where there wasn’t as much foot traffic.Once we stopped, I looked at her expectantly, waiting for whatever it was she had to say.She seemed to be struggling for words as she glanced over at me a few times, kicking the ground with the toe of her boot.
“I don’t know where to start…” she said.
“Let’s start with the fact that you took your clothes off and laid on top of my boyfriend naked, knowing he was knocked out on sleeping pills.”
She at least had the decency to appear mortified. “I know,” she said, her eyes downcast. “I know what I did was beyond fucked up.”
“Then why did you do it?” I demanded.
“I don’t know!” she shouted as tears started pouring down her face. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m not this person. I’m not a cruel, heartless bitch, despite what Stuart has told you. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but it’s like I couldn’t contain this overwhelming hatred I felt for you.”
I was taken aback by her admission, but I didn’t say anything as she continued, “I know you did nothing to deserve it. I just felt like you were taking everything away from me.” She sighed heavily, looking out toward the lake. “I didn’t have the easiest childhood. I never felt like I fit in anywhere, but then I found this job, and well… It was the first place I ever really felt accepted. I love my job. I just happened to have the shitty fucking luck of falling in love with my boss too,” she said before meeting my eyes again.
“I loved him, Hadley. I was so fucking in love with him. But when I told him, he said he didn’t feel the same way and broke things off with me. I was devastated. I thought about quitting then and there. But I went back. And things were okay, for the most part. Mostly because he was so obsessed with his work. It made me feel better that he was never interested in dating anyone. He ate, drank, and slept neuroscience. It seemed to be his only passion in life… until he met you.”
She smiled, but it didn’t touch her eyes. “I knew something was different right away. I could see it. We all could. And it was like every insecurity I’d ever had was being shoved right in front of my face.”Her eyes lowered. “He’s never looked at me the way he looks at you. It was clear from the start just how taken he was by you, and I couldn’t see past my own pathetic jealousy.”
She frowned, shaking her head. “But that doesn’t excuse what I did, and I came here to tell you how truly sorry I am. What I did was… it was disgusting. I haven’t been able to live with myself. I understand if he wants to fire me. In fact, he told me the only reason he hasn’t is because you didn’t want him to.”
“I don’t,” I told her honestly.
She nodded. “You’re a good person, Hadley. Even I can see that. This whole thing has been a wake-up call for me. I’m getting in therapy to try to work through some shit. I just hope one day you can forgive me.”
I looked at this woman baring her soul to me, and it was like I was seeing the person I always knew was there. Underneath all of Nicky’s cattiness was just an unhappy person who was hurting badly.
“You crossed a very big line, Nicky,” I said. “I appreciate you coming and telling me all of this, but I’m not the person you need to make things right with.”
“He won’t talk to me. I’ve tried.” Her tone was desperate. “I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but could you just see if he’d be willing to hear me out? I promise I’ll leave as soon as I’m done.”
“Sure,” I agreed. “I’ll ask. But don’t be surprised if he refuses.”
“He won’t refuse if you’re the one asking,” she said with the ghost of a smile on her lips. “He won’t refuse you anything.”
I didn’t think that was completely true, but I would try anyway. I started to leave, but I realized there was something else I needed to say. I turned and looked her squarely in the eye. “I told him you made a mistake and you didn’t deserve to lose everything over it because I really do believe that everyone deserves a second chance. If he gives it to you, don’t fuck it up this time.”
“I won’t,” she said solemnly.
I nodded. “One last thing.” I took a step toward her. “He’s not yours anymore, Nicky… Are we clear?”
Her lips thinned as she gave a sharp nod. I shot her one last warning glance before walking away.
Only a few of the guys were still at the campfire when I got back. Sarah and Jace were gone and so was Lex. I walked back to the tent to find Lex checking to make sure the poles on the tent were secured, even though he’d done that a million times already.
He looked up at me as I approached. “Everything okay?” His tone was edgy like he was ready to unleash at any moment.
“Yes, everything’s fine,” I assured him. “But she wants to talk to you.”
He scoffed. “I have nothing to say to her.”
“I know. But she has some things to say to you, and I think you should hear her out.”
“Why?” he asked with a puzzled expression.
“I think it might be good for both of you.”
He looked into my eyes for a few moments before he said, “You really want me to go talk to her?”
I nodded. “She knows she fucked up. She just wants the chance to tell you that herself. It might make things better for you at work if you hear her out.”
He sighed before taking my face in his hands and pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Fine,” he said. “Let me go get this over with then.”
Just as he started to walk away, I cried out, “Wait one sec!”
I took two giant steps and jumped onto his back, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He took a stumbling step forward before he recovered. I started to make the sound of the letter “h,” like when you’re trying to make condensation with your breath. I blew the steam coming from my warm breath on the wintry night air all over his head and neck as he stood there with me clinging to his back.
“Um, Hadley?” he said, sounding bewildered
“Yes, Lex?” I asked, still holding on.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“I’m putting my pheromones all over you,” I said as if it were obvious. “Just in case she gets any funny ideas with you guys all alone out there. Maybe my scent will throw her off, and she’ll think twice.” She might be on a redemption tour but that didn’t mean I trusted her.
He started to shake with quiet laughter. “You know there’s no scientific basis for what you’re doing, right?”
“Better safe than sorry.” I gave him a final huff and jumped down off his back.
He turned to look at me. “Good?” he asked with amusement in his voice.
I scrutinized him. “I think so.”
“You’re the one who wants me to do this. I’m more than happy to stay here with you.”
I waved him off. “No, no. You should go.”
He gave me one last fleeting look before turning to leave. But I just couldn’t help myself. I grabbed his arm to pull him back to me before jumping up and wrapping myself around his front side this time.
“I think I missed a spot,” I said, huffing down the side of his neck and planting kisses in its wake.
He shook his head, chuckling. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” I asked innocently, still kissing along his cheek and neck.
“I promise I’m not going to bite her head off. I told you I’d hear her out.”
“That’s good,” I said, pressing my lips to his before he set me down.
I thought he did seem more even-tempered, so I relented. He kissed me one more time and patted my hip before walking off to meet with Nicky.This time, I let him go.
The temperature outside was really starting to drop, so I went inside the tent, kicking off my shoes, and snuggled into the extra-large sleeping bag Lex had brought for us. I pulled out one of my books to read before Lex came back about ten minutes later. He unzipped the tent and walked in, his expression unreadable.
“Well?” I asked. “What did she say?”
He took off his shoes and sat down next to me on the air mattress before slipping his legs inside the sleeping bag. “Same bullshit she told you, I’m sure.”
I put my book down and started to make room for him. “I take it you’re not planning on forgiving her anytime soon?”
He zipped the sleeping bag around us and pulled me into his arms. “I’ll never forgive her for taking you from me for an entire week.”
I stroked his hair, looking into his beautiful eyes, trying to figure out if he was upset or not. “Are you going to fire her?” I asked.
He seemed to think about it for a second. “No,” he finally said. “She told me you said everyone deserves a second chance, so I’m going to give it to her. But I don’t think I can ever forgive her for what she did.”
I ran my thumb across his cheek. “You’re doing the right thing.”
He pulled me in even closer. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I just want to enjoy the rest of this night with you. Can we do that?”
I grinned at him. “What did you have in mind?”
He started moving his hands lower, caressing my hip before moving to my backside.
“I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you all night,” he crooned.
“Oh yeah?” I said, looking down at his mouth. “What exactly were you planning on doing with those hands?”
He rolled me onto my back and leaned over me, stopping when our lips were barely skimming against one another. Our breath began to mingle as he slid his hand inside my pants, my core already slick with need for him. His fingers moved over my wetness before he slipped one finger inside and I gasped, leaning up to try to kiss him, but he pulled back teasingly. He was sliding his finger in and out slowly, watching me, watching my every breath.
“When everyone was watching you by the campfire earlier, I knew what every guy was thinking… how badly they all wanted you,” he said, stroking. “And all I could think was… she’s mine.”
I laughed breathlessly. “So dramatic. I’m starting to think it’s a prerequisite for all scientists,” I said, closing my eyes as he leaned over and began running his tongue along my neck.
“It’s just been my luck that you have no idea how incredibly beautiful you are… how endearing,” he murmured against my skin. “It makes everyone drawn to you. I don’t know how I tricked you into being with me, but I really must be a genius of some sort.”
He slipped a second finger in, and I groaned against his neck. “Definitely a genius,” I agreed, and he chuckled, still working me over.
I let my hand trail down his stomach, slipping under his waistband as I began stroking his already hard length. His breath hitched, and he finally leaned down to capture my lips. Our tongues immediately tangled, and I whimpered slightly at the feel of him in my mouth and in my hand.
His tongue worked in tandem with his fingers until I started feeling like I was close. I wasn’t sure how quiet I could be if I came.
“Do you think anyone can hear us?” I panted.
“Maybe,” he whispered with a wolfish grin, still working his fingers in and out.
“I’m close, Lex,” I said breathlessly. “I don’t want anyone to hear me.”
“I want to watch you come, Hadley,” he whispered back. He was staring down at me, eyes blazing. My name on his lips, the look in his eyes, the way his skillful fingers moved over me—that was all it took.
His free hand clamped down over my mouth as I came hard. My body writhed underneath him as he held me tight, watching me heatedly. I was breathing heavily as I came down from the orgasm, little aftershocks still pulsing through me.
As I stared into those beautiful eyes, all I could see was desire rippling through their depths. He pressed a soft kiss to my lips before he turned me onto my side with my back facing him and pulled me close to his chest. I could hear the sound of the condom wrapper before he slipped his pants down.
When he was done, he tugged mine down as well, and I helped push them the rest of the way until we were both naked from the waist down. He gathered me up, positioning himself at my entrance, before sliding into me slowly, groaning into my ear and stopping when he reached the hilt.
I turned my face up toward him, and he pressed his lips to mine once again. I deepened the kiss immediately. He slid his arm underneath me until both arms were wrapped around my torso, holding me close.
He made love to me slowly at first, each stroke causing our breathing to become more strained.I felt his hand trailing down my body, caressing my thigh before he hiked my leg up and buried himself in even deeper.I could hear voices outside not far from our tent, so I had to remain focused on not crying out as the pleasure continued to build.
He stifled any moans that escaped my lips by covering my mouth with his, but he had worked me back up in no time. One hand held my breast while the other slid down, stroking that bundle of nerves as he continued to push inside me with those long, teasing strokes.
“Lex,” I whimpered. “I’m going to come again.”
"Good," he said roughly. “The only thing better than watching you come is feeling it happen when I'm buried inside you.”
I groaned at his words. He ran his tongue along my neck while his fingers worked against my clit until it was all too much. I turned to bury my face in the pillow as I started to come undone. He held me even tighter, his breathing becoming louder as he picked up speed.I whispered to him how good he felt, how much I loved having his cock inside me, and he gripped my hips to the point of pain as he slammed into me with his final thrusts, burying a groan in my hair.
When our breathing finally slowed, he took my chin and tilted it up toward him before leaning down to kiss me.
“It never feels like enough,” I murmured against his lips. “I already want more of you.”
His thumb caressed my cheek. “You can have all of me… always.”
I smiled. “Is that a promise?”
“It is,” he answered, and I shivered with pleasure.
We heard the others outside starting to gather, so we knew it was time. I hurried to put on all my extra layers of clothes before we made our way out into the freezing night air, leaving the warmth of our tent behind.
We found everyone gathered in the open field where they had set up an array of telescopes, and the head of the astronomy department was giving a lecture on what we were about to see.
“And where have you two been?” Sarah said suggestively when we walked up. Jace’s arms were wrapped around her, holding her close to him.
I shrugged and said, “Guitar lessons.”
She made a sarcastic face at me. “Okay, well I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give my boyfriend the same kind of guitar lessons.”
My eyes widened at hearing her call him her boyfriend. Jace’s did as well but then he smiled, looking down at her. “Your boyfriend, huh?”
“Oh, didn’t I mention?” she said playfully. “I don’t want you fucking anyone but me.”
He laughed, leaning close to her ear, and said, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Sarah was always so private about the people she dated, even in college. Hearing her blatantly call him her boyfriend in front of all of us made me realize just how much she really liked him. Her happiness was contagious as I smiled up at Lex. He pulled me into his arms, and we all looked up toward the night sky.
Ten minutes later, the sky lit up as the meteor shower began. Everyone gasped as hundreds of shooting stars shot across the sky, and I thought I’d never seen anything so beautiful in all my life. As I looked on in wonderment, a sudden realization hit me—I was making the kind of memories here that I could never have in New York. It was in that moment that I made my decision.
I wasn’t leaving California.