“Holy shit,” he said, pushing off the wall.
Little flickers of pride she’d forgotten existed inside her flared to life. “Long time ago.”
“You still run?”
Had he moved closer? “No.”
Music floated through the patio doors, something up-tempo with a heavy amount of bass. Or maybe that was her heartbeat.
His fingers brushed hers. “It’s been a while?”
She nodded slowly. Running. They were talking about running.
“Do you miss it?”
She hadn’t thought much about running or its absence from her life but she realized that yes, she really did. “I do.”
He nodded decisively. “If I can beat you at a race, you go out with me on a date-date.”
She grinned. “What, like now?”
He shrugged.
“You are an intriguing man, Will.” That was putting it mildly, but she didn’t want to acknowledge all of the other adjectives running around in her head, never mind admit them out loud.
The air grew thick between them, and for a minute Lexi thought about what it would be like to find her other half. To have a person to hang on to, share stories with, end the day with. Maybe not everyone got that. She could be one of the ones who didn’t. Then she thought about how her mother ended every day since she’d lost her person. Being alone didn’t seem so bad. But neither was this. Maybe life offered something in between.
Eight
Cocktail parties, get-togethers, and social engagements were part of the job in Will’s family. Sometimes they attended as a whole group, sometimes a couple of them, depending on the event and the guests. Will wasn’t thrilled to admit he was the unofficial “face” of Grand Babies. He’d argued that it didn’t seem right for the finance guy to be the face guy. But he was single, not in school, the same age as many of the people attending. He’d lost that battle.
Which was usually okay because he didn’t have a ton of hobbies. He worked, liked to read, swim, and watch sports or reality television. Having to socialize a bit got him out of the house. As long as his mother didn’t pull her matchmaker card, which she’d done more than once, he was good with things as they were. But this evening hadn’t been like any of thoseshow your face, shake some handsevents. Tonight was a fucking blast.
Lexi was funny and thoughtful, beautiful and humble. Smart and a little sheltered, like she’d kept the world at bay. She didn’t spend most of her day on social media; she hadn’t immediately asked him to follow her on any platforms. Though she tried to guard her expressions and responses, her eyes spoke like pages of beautiful literature. She was amazing.
Their conversation on running got sidetracked when Jackie brought out cake and Lexi nervously declared that she never said no to cake. He’d keep that in mind. Though they chatted with others, getting caught up in a few conversations, they kept finding quiet pockets of time and space with just the two of them, and Will liked those moments best.
They’d found an area of the patio where the music was softer, the lights dimmer. He was listening to her words but also captivated by watching her mouth move. The hazy glow of the moon washed over them, adding a shimmer to her gaze.
Will was doing his very best to focus on every word she said but the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to kiss her. Touch her. Of all the things he’d expected when he sat down at the restaurant today, this was not one of them.
Will leaned in and Lexi’s speech faltered, her chest lifting with a deep inhale.
“Are you listening?” The curve of her lips hinted that she knew he’d lost the thread of their conversation.
Reaching out, he trailed his hand up her arm slowly, watching her reaction, holding her gaze to make sure she wasn’t uncomfortable. When she stepped into him, he sucked in a sharp breath, intoxicated by her perfume. Or maybe it was her body wash.
She tapped his chest with her index finger. “A good fiancé listens.”
Will let out a low laugh, his fingers trailing over her shoulder, up to the spot where her neck and shoulder met. He pushed his hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head, nearly freezing when her tongue darted out to lick her lips.
“Sometimes even the best fiancés get distracted.” He shifted closer, the music, the lights, and the people fading away.
Lexi put one hand on his hip, the other flat on his chest. He wondered if she could feel his heartbeat. It felt like his heart was trying to fist-bump her palm. Cool air rushed over his skin but he felt overheated.
“Your hair is the softest thing I’ve ever felt,” he said. Clearly his brain was short-circuiting because he wasn’t even sure if that was a compliment. It was, however, the truth. And he wanted to bury his face in it.
When she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, he almost groaned out loud. Desire hummed through him, sharp and strong, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
