Chapter 3
LEXIE
Istep into the elevator of Lainey’s apartment building and press the button for her floor.
Before the door closes, a tattooed hand comes into my line of sight, holding it open.
That familiar itch crawls up my spine as the man steps in, forcing the space to shrink around us. I feel the weight of his presence next to me, too close for me to ignore. His familiar smell hits me like a ton of bricks. It’s bergamot and a hint of cigarette smoke.
“Hi.” He says.
I nod my head, “Hey.” and keep my eyes forward, but my body betrays me, tuning itself to him without my permission. The smell clings to him and the space between us. I try to tell myself that a lot of men wear the same fragrance, but my pulse quickens nonetheless.
My fingers rub aimlessly over the seam on my thigh, trying to distract my mind. I need to get out of here.
The elevator dings, signaling that we’ve reached Lainey’s floor. The doors open and I quickly step out, but footsteps behind me have me realizing that I didn’t see him press another button when he got on the elevator with me.
I take a deep breath and blow out. I’m sure this is just his floor too.
I reach Lainey’s door and I feel his presence stop next to me.
Taking a chance to look up at him, my gaze collides with the most beautiful green eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.
His hair is dark and curly, the strands falling around his face.
There’s a dermal on his cheek, a lip ring, septum and dark tattoos crawl up his neck.
I find myself wanting to know where else he is covered.
And that slutty little chain around his neck makes me want to fucking combust.
I clear my throat nervously, “Can I help you with something?”
His mouth tilts and he nods his head towards the door, “You must be a friend of Lainey’s.” He holds his hand out for me to shake. I stare down at it as I’m stuck rooted in place. When I don’t say anything he wiggles his inked fingers. “I’m Reed, Kalix’s best friend.”
My mouth forms an O and I quickly put my hand in his. His grip is firm and warm, swallowing my tiny hand whole. The contact sends a traitorous shiver up my spine. “Oh, I’m Lexie.”
I feel my face heat as I get flustered and almost lose my balance. He squeezes gently. Before I can pull away he slowly flips my hand over, so casually like it’s a normal thing that happens between us. I track the movement as his thumb gently brushes over the tiny moon tattoo near my knuckle.
“Hmm.” He says with a gravely voice and my stomach tightens. A part of me wants to put distance between us, but the other part of me stays still, waiting to see what happens next.
He looks up at me with those gorgeous green eyes again and smirks before letting my hand go. As he steps closer, I back up, my back hitting the door.
I hold in a breath as he reaches his hand up and knocks on the door right above my head while boring a hole into my face.
“Coming!” I hear Lainey yell from the other side.
Reed doesn’t step back to let me turn around; he just waits until the door opens behind me and I stagger backwards.
“Hi-uh oh…” Lainey looks between us with a glint in her eye. “I didn’t know that ya’ll knew each other.”
I gently shake my head, “I-uh-We just met.”
Her brows lift and she bounces her eyes between us again before smiling and saying, “Well, come in.” I follow behind her, not bothering to see if Reed is doing the same.
I already know he is because his presence is overwhelming.
“Kalix is in the shower. He should be out soon.” Lainey turns her head to speak to Reed.
She links her arm in mine and guides me towards the spare bedroom.
Once inside, she clicks the door behind us and smirks at me.
“What?” I say.
She shakes her head with that same stupid smirk on her face, “What was that?”
I sit on the edge of the bed while she pulls out a box. “What was what?”
“Um, I don’t know. That whole interaction with Reed, maybe? Ya’ll were awfully close when I opened the door.” She looks up at me as she opens the box and pulls out a glass tube with a cap on it.
“I swear that was the first time we’ve met.” I start to pick at the skin around my nail bed.
“Mhmm. Okay.” She smiles and unscrews the cap, pulling out a joint. “Do you want to smoke now or when you get home?”
“I’d feel more comfortable doing it here. I haven’t done it since sophomore year of highschool. If that’s okay with you?”
She smiles, “Sure. I don’t plan on going anywhere. We can send Kalix out for food.” She says as she walks towards the window to crack it open.
Following her, I watch as she puts the joint to her lips and burns the end, sucking in the smoke, then blowing out the window. She does it a second time, but this time she coughs and hands it over to me.
I put it between my lips and slowly inhale a bit, before blowing out, then take another hit, a little harder this time.
Handing it back to her, she hits it one more time before putting it in the tube and handing it over to me. “Here you can have this.”
As I start to feel the high kick in, everything around me feels lighter. “You sure?”
She nods. “Yes, of course. I have plenty. If you get through with that and want more, just let me know.” She gives me a quick smile, packing her box back up.
She sits on the bed and pats the mattress, so I sit beside her.
“So, what do you think?” She asks.
I smile, “I surely feel better now.”
She laughs and shakes her head, “I meant Reed.”
“Oh.” My heart beat starts to quicken. “Well, all he did was introduce himself so we didn’t really talk much.”
She lays back on the bed and I copy her. “He’s single.”
“Ooookay.” I drag out and she laughs again, making me giggle. “God, I forgot how good this feels.”
“I’m just saying, if you’re interested I can get Kalix to talk to him.”
I shake my head, “No. You will do no such thing.”
“Okay. Okay. But if you change your mind…” She says as soon as the door opens.
“What are you doing?” Kalix says leaning against the door frame. It’s as if she summoned him by talking about another man.
“Getting high with Lex. OH! Lexie this is Kalix, Kalix this is Lexie.” She looks back to him and says, “Can you go get us some food?” She smiles up at him and he walks towards her, bending down to kiss her forehead.
“Hey Lexie.” He says to me then focuses back on her. “Sure. What do ya’ll want?”
Lainey turns her head towards me, “What sounds good to you?” She asks.
“Umm… I’m not picky.”
“How about pizza?” Kalix asks, eyes still focused on Lainey like she’s the only one in the room. It’s so fucking adorable. I wish someone would look at me like that.
“Sounds good to me.” She says.