Page 12 of Impulse (Infinitus Billionaire #1)
Jillian had heard Lex’s voice raise in anger, but she hadn’t expected to see the haunted look in his eyes. He searched her face, arms, and body as though looking for injuries.
“Are you okay?”
he asked in a strange voice.
She nodded.
“Everything went smoothly.”
He grew paler. Obviously that wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. She reached out and took his hand. It was clammy.
“Come with me,”
she whispered.
Eyes followed them as they left the crowd and headed toward the trailers. He held her hand in a death grip, but she didn’t complain. Seeing her pull that stunt must have scared him. There were risks with most stunts, but she’d never had a reason to worry.
She waited until they were inside the trailer with the door closed before facing him. He still looked like he’d swallowed a rotten egg and was about to throw up.
“I’m okay,”
Jillian reassured him. He didn’t seem convinced.
“You were worried.”
He laughed harshly, let go of her hand, and scrubbed the back of his neck.
“No. You’ve done this countless times, right?”
Disappointed by his denial, Jillian nodded. “Yeah.”
“So mishaps are nothing to lose sleep over?”
“You got it.”
She sat at her dresser, removed the wig, and shook her hair. Through the mirror, she watched Lex. His hands shoved in his front pants pockets, he glanced around the trailer before his eyes found hers again. He still looked shaken.
She didn’t understand men. They jumped into dangerous situations to play heroes all the time, but they’d never admit to feeling an emotion they deemed weakened them. Her brothers were like that. They’d watch her like a hawk when she performed, but as soon as she rode off the ring, they’d act like she’d just taken a walk through the park. A pat on the back from her father and pointers on how she should improve certain moves from her brothers were all she ever got.
Her mother had been the fusser. Chris took over after she’d died, hugging and praising Jillian when her brothers weren’t watching. Just once, she’d like a man to admit to having real emotion outside the bedroom.
Jillian started to unbutton the outer suit. Lex still stood behind her, scowling.
“So where are we going for lunch?”
she asked.
“Downtown,”
Lex said curtly. He pulled up the chair his mother had used yesterday, sat, and gently rotated Jillian’s chair until she faced him.
“Lex, I need to remove these suits, shower, and—”
“They can wait.”
He spoke slowly, taking her hands in his and looking into her eyes.
“I wasn’t worried, Jillian. I was petrified that you were burned and possibly injured in some way. The last ten minutes before you jumped, I imagined all sorts of terrible things going wrong. When I saw you on fire…”
He stopped and shook his head.
“I don’t think I can watch you do stunts again, yet I want to be here to make sure you’re okay.”
He frowned, his hand reaching for her face.
“What did I do? Why are you crying?”
Jillian shook her head.
“I’m not crying.”
She lifted her chin and blinked hard until she stopped the tears from falling. In control once again, she kissed him.
“Thank you.”
He frowned.
“For what? Getting scared for you? I know this is your job and something you love, but we’re going to make a few changes around here.”
She blinked, focusing on his words instead of the fuzzy feelings his confession had brought to the surface. “Changes?”
“Yeah. Big ones. I need to talk to your uncle.”
He stood and started for the door.
“What changes, Lex?”
“I’ll be back.”
“Lex.”
She stood, ready to tackle him if he took another step.
“What. Changes?”
He stopped by the door and looked back at her.
“I want to find out his safety protocol for various stunts. If we are to keep you safe, I want to add a few of my own.”
“You can’t just dictate—”
“Oh yes, I can. I have a business to run, and I can’t do it worrying about people screwing up and making you land in a hospital. Don’t worry.”
He smiled, but his expression said he intended to get his way.
“I’ll be nice about it.”
Jillian sighed as the door closed behind him. The man was used to having his way, and so was Chris. They were going to knock heads, and she would be caught in the middle.
Damn.
She removed the suits and dumped them in a hamper along with the wig. She’d never showered and changed so fast. Any second, she expected Chris to storm into the trailer, demanding she control Lex.
Yeah, like a lion can truly ever be tamed.
Her hair was still wet and her face free of makeup when she opened the trailer door and went in search of them. Chris and Lex were having a heated discussion by the trailer used by the rest of the stunt crew. As she got closer, both men threw back their heads and laughed.
Jillian slowed down. They were getting along?
They looked up and saw her. Lex waved her over and pulled her to his side.
“Then it’s a deal?”
he asked, shaking Chris’ hand.
Chris nodded.
“It’s a deal. I’ll stop by your office.”
“What deal?”
she asked.
Both men ignored her question, but Chris couldn’t meet her eyes. She knew him well enough to know when he’d done something she wouldn’t like.
“The Vancouver trip has been pushed back, so see you on Monday, Jill,”
he said.
“Think about what we discussed earlier.”
He took off as though hellhounds were after him.
She turned to Lex and narrowed her eyes.
“What did you do?”
He gave her an innocent smile.
“We reached an understanding. Nothing big.”
Oh, she hated his arrogance.
“Yeah. Right. That’s why Chris hightailed it out of here with a guilty look on his face. What understanding? You mentioned changes, which means you bullied him into—”
“Making sure you’re safe. I will not compromise with anyone on that, including you. The one thing we couldn’t agree on is”—he grimaced—“that.”
Jillian followed his eyes to.
“Our trailer? What about it?”
Lex rubbed his chin and shot her a glance, a twinkle appearing in his eyes.
“Everything. I like that one better.”
He pointed at Margo’s newer trailer.
Margo’s trailer had everything a person could possibly need. From a bedroom, a fully stocked bar, and an entertainment unit Jillian would kill to own, to a workout area in the back. Margo had given them the grand tour before she’d morphed into a bitch.
“Yeah, well, you can’t do what your mother did and take it from her. That’s not how things work around here. She’s the star of the show, and stars get the best of everything.”
She lifted her chin and stared at him from the tip of her nose.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with our trailer. It has history. Memories in every ding and scrape. It’s perfect just the way it is.”
He chuckled.
“Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but it looks like something you salvaged from a junkyard and slapped paint on.”
Her jaw dropped.
“That’s the meanest, elitist thing you’ve ever said. Take it back.”
She dove for him.
He dodged her hand, and she nearly lost her balance. But he was there to break her fall, wrapping his arm around her waist and bringing her back to his front. The feel of his hard body sent her juices flowing.
Heat flared. She felt him stir behind his zipper and wanted to rub against him. No, she wanted to do more. Feel his skin against hers. Run her tongue across his nipples and feel them respond. She couldn’t remember feeling this consumed by a guy before, this never-ending need to touch, taste, and feel him.
The moment stretched, her heart pounding hard, her breathing quickening. She moved ever so slightly and heard him groan. His head lowered, his breath warm on her ear as he whispered.
“You don’t play fair.”
“Haven’t you heard? All’s fair when you mess with me.”
She reached for his arms, but he whipped them away. She turned to find him hurrying toward her trailer. For a large man, he moved fast. Then he had the gall to laugh. A few nearby people watched them and snickered.
Oh, now he’s in for it.
Jillian went after him in earnest, but he cheated. He ducked inside their trailer and closed the door on her face. He wiggled his fingers through the glass panel on the door. Jillian gave him the finger. The look on his face was comical. When she entered the trailer, he was walking down the length of the trailer, checking every nook and cranny and shaking his head.
“I can’t believe you gave me the finger. You’re a sore loser,”
he said without turning.
“And you are a know-it-all snob.”
He turned and came toward her.
“What’s the mileage on this thing?”
She planted her hands on her hips and blocked his path.
“You owe me an apology, mister.”
He studied her, a tiny smile curling his lips. “What?”
“You’re breathtaking.”
The compliment was unexpected and nice, but Jillian faked indifference and rolled her eyes.
“Compliments are not buying you brownie points. This is our trailer, and you cannot disrespect it.”
“Technically, it’s Lander’s trailer. You need your own.”
Jillian scoffed at the idea.
“No, I don’t.”
“Chris agrees with me.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
The look in Lex’s eyes said he had. Jillian threw her arms in the air.
“Unbelievable. You walk into my life and literally take over, charming everyone, making them agree to everything you want…”
She screamed when he scooped her up and sat on the nearest chair.
“That’s because I’m always right,” he said.
She shook her head.
“You have a god complex.”
“And you are a star. You shine brighter than any woman or man on this set, so screw anyone who says you don’t deserve the best.”
He captured her lips in one of his toe-curling kisses.
The fight had gone out of her at “a star.”
When he eased off, her arms were around his neck and she would have agreed to anything.
“Is it wrong to want to give you the best?”
Lex asked.
Jillian sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn’t wrong, but who would continue that tradition once he was gone? No one. No, that wasn’t true. She would. Once he was out of her life, she’d be loaded. Sadness crept in, but she refused to dwell on it. Theirs was a temporary relationship. In fact, she shouldn’t be sitting on his lap or chasing him around the set like they were a normal couple in love.
Love.
That word should never cross her mind when it came to this man, or she’d be lost. Falling in love with him was out of the question and stupid to boot. She didn’t do stupid.
Jillian jumped up and took the chair in front of the mirror. Lex scooted closer, eyes probably seeing more than she wanted him to see.
“This is the twenty-first century, Alexander,”
Jillian said.
“If I want to give myself the best, I work my butt off and get it.”
He ran a hand down her arm, leaving heated skin behind. Part of her wanted him to stop. Another craved his touch. God, she was a glutton for punishment. He dropped a kiss on her skin left bare by her shirt, and she leaned into his mouth, seeking more.
“As per our contract,”
he said, his breath warm on her skin.
“you don’t spend a dime while you and I are involved, except for the three-fifty. But that’s another story.”
He rubbed his cheek on her shoulder. He hadn’t shaved, and the light stubble across his jaw was stimulating.
Jillian forced herself to mull over his words instead of listening to the hum of her body. This was the perfect opportunity to tell him the truth about her father and the money, and maybe even ask for his help. But he was at her nape.
“Lex?”
his name came out as a moan. She caressed his face, the corner of his mouth.
“Hmm.”
The sound came from his chest and vibrated through her.
Jillian hesitated, savoring his kisses, memorizing the texture of his skin with her hands. Was it only this morning she’d told him they wouldn’t have sex again? All he had to do was touch her and her body sang. She melted with need, closing her eyes and forgetting where they were. The little sanity left to her reminded her that he was already taking over every aspect of her life. Surely, she must control some parts of it if she was to survive a year with him. Like her heart and how she dealt with her family problems.
It took all her willpower to grip his head and create space between his lips and her body. His heated eyes said he didn’t like the interruption.
“I want you,”
he whispered, his finger tracing her collarbone and stopping at the pulse beating furiously at the base of her neck.
“And you want me.”
When he looked at her with such need, whatever objections Jillian had flew out the window. Sex was something she enjoyed, and she felt no shame. Her need for this man was slowly morphing into something else. An addiction? Yes. That sounded better than the alternative, because their relationship left no room for tender feelings or long-term commitment.
She jumped up, marched to the trailer door, and locked it. When she turned around, he was watching her with amazement.
“What? Do you want to wait until we get to your place?”
she asked, undoing her shirt.
“One of these days, I’m actually going to undress you from top to bottom.”
“You’ll have to move fast.”
Her bra landed on top of her shirt.
He rolled the chair toward her, nudged her hands out of the way, and finished removing the rest of her clothes.
“How is that for fast?”
He lifted her onto the narrow counter by the sink and kissed her knee, then moved along her inner thigh. Her muscles trembled, and her knees opened. Jillian caressed his head, her hand slipping under his shirt to stroke his back. His muscles flexed. She smothered a scream when he bit into her thigh.
“Shh,”
he whispered.
Jillian wasn’t going to control herself when he was so ruthless in his possession of her senses. He moved, kissing her stomach, her sides, until he took a nipple into his mouth. She held his head, wanting him to stay there forever.
Oh yes. The things he did with his teeth. His tongue. He let go of one nipple and rubbed his chin in the valley between her breasts, sending jolts of pure pleasure through her. The roughness on her sensitive skin was so erotic.
He took the other nipple and sucked on it so hard her body jerked. If he wasn’t standing between her legs and trapping her on that narrow counter, she would have fallen off it.
“Yes, Lex. Oh, God, yes. More.”
She wanted to taste him too and tugged on his shirt, until he let her remove it. She ran her hands over his shoulders. He had such a perfectly proportional body. His head lifted up, and his mouth claimed hers. Hot. Hard. Hungrily. He stroked her shoulders, her back, sliding down to her waist.
He still wore his jeans while she was completely naked. She reached for his belt, but he wouldn’t let her. Instead, he sunk low and sat on the chair, cupped her butt cheeks, and nudged her to the edge of the counter. Then he was lowering his head, the stubble on his chin scraping her sensitive skin, the feeling contrasting with the flutter of his soft hair on her upper thighs.
A low moan of pleasure escaped her when his mouth closed on her. His tongue and teeth worked together in perfect harmony with one intention—to drive her crazy.
“Lex,”
Jillian moaned and pushed against him. She didn’t think she could control the sounds coming from her mouth. At least she’d closed the curtains earlier after showering, but he was relentless, pushing her fast to the limit. She wanted to beg him to slow down.
“Please,”
was all she managed before he changed the level of intensity.
He moved her legs over his shoulders and leaned in for a deeper connection. As he reduced the tight nub into a point of intense sensations, he slid his middle and index fingers inside her. Jillian bit her lower lip to stop her whimpers. Then he did something new. He made little erotic circles as he pushed in and out of her.
She went crazy.
If he didn’t have a firm hold on her, her butt would have slipped off the counter. Jillian couldn’t stop crying out as waves of pleasure crested. Lex didn’t stop, sucking harder and prolonging the sensations while she shuddered and moaned his name. He released her, kissed her thigh, and rested his chin on it, a smug smile curling his lips.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing that,”
he whispered.
Jillian shifted, her legs giving away when they landed on the floor on either side of his hips. But he was there to steady her. She reached for his belt again, but he stopped her.
“No, sweetheart. After last night, you must be sore. I can wait.”
Was he nuts? She wasn’t about to let an erection go to waste. She leaned into him and rubbed her lips across his.
“I want you, Lex.”
She kissed his upper lip, then took his lower one between her teeth and nipped it before letting go.
“And I mean to have you.”
He grinned. In seconds, he’d lowered his pants, his erection springing free. Thick. Hard. Majestic. He never failed to take her breath away. Her eyes locked with his as she went down to her knees. The look in his eyes made her feel powerful. It was as though he wanted to tell her not to do it while at the same time begging her to go ahead.
Smiling saucily, she ran her fingers along his shaft. His hips lifted off the chair. Not meaning to torture him, she wrapped her hands around him, not fully spanning his girth with each hand.
He was hot.
Ridged with veins.
Velvet over steel.
She leaned down and ran her tongue from the base to the tip of his shaft. He cursed softly. Not good enough. She repeated it and rolled her tongue around the tip.
“Oh, fuck!”
slipped from his mouth.
That was more like it. She leaned in closer and started with the tip, laving it with her tongue, hearing him groan. Then she opened her mouth wide to accommodate his width. She made her throat muscles relax as she took in his entire length.
Lex’s hands caressed her hair, her shoulders, then went back to her head. With a gentle pressure, he rocked farther into her mouth and down her throat. The taste of hard, hot erection and the scent of his arousal were too much. She moaned, knowing full well what it would do to him. The vibrations of her vocals rippled through his shaft.
“Holy shit,”
he growled.
Liking his response, she did it again.
“What the hell are you—?”
She moved her head, humming as he slid down her throat. Shudders shot through him, but the next second, he staggered backward, breaking their contact. Eyes wild, his breathing heavy, his expression begged her to… what? Give him what he needed?
She knew how he liked it. Hard. Fast. Furious. Rough. She was a bit sore from yesterday, but the pleasure would make up for the discomfort. Jillian turned, arched her back, and glanced over her shoulder at him. He stared at her with so much lust it hurt to look at him.
“Take me, Lex,”
she begged him.
“Make me yours again.”
“No,”
he growled. Then he turned her and kissed her. Not hard. It was a gentle kiss full of longing and a different kind of need.
“Make me yours, Jillian.”
He sat and leaned into the chair. She knew he was doing this for her. Her throat tightened with an emotion she couldn’t explain. All she knew was she was going to love him. This once, she was going to shower him with tenderness. She lowered herself, taking him in slowly.
He hissed, eyelids dropping as though to hide his reaction. Foolish man. She could feel the shudders that rocked his body. He stretched her and filled her completely. Like he was built just for her.
He cupped her face.
“So beautiful. All mine.”
Jillian ignore the “all mine”
and started doing her belly dancer move. He kissed her mouth and played with her nipples as she rocked and loved him. She’d never given a lap dance, but there was always a first time. This kind was much more fun.
Soon it wasn’t enough. She moved faster and faster. Their bodies moving in perfect unison, slick skin speaking to slick skin, lips locked to muffle their moans. She felt him grow thicker and harder, if that were possible.
She tore her mouth from his and whispered.
“I’m coming, Lex. Come with me. Please.”
“I’m with you, babe,”
he growled, his voice rough with arousal.
They pushed and strained, and when the eruption swept through her, he was there with her, kissing her and swallowing her cries. Her inner muscles tightened around his shaft, milking him dry.
They stayed locked in each other’s arms, her cheek resting on his shoulder. She never wanted to move.
*
“Do you think they heard us?”
Jillian whispered.
“Yep.”
She leaned back to check whether he was joking or not. “No way.”
“You’re loud.”
She glared at him.
“And this heap of crap doesn’t muffle sounds. Now do you see why we need to get you a new one?”
“Oh, you think you’re so slick.”
She tried to ease off him, but he wrapped his arms around her. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet.
“I thought you were hungry.”
“I’d rather eat—”
She covered his mouth. He was already hardening inside her. He had a ferocious sexual appetite, and in her, he’d found his perfect match. The missing piece in his life.
“Let me paraphrase that,”
she said.
“I’m hungry, and Chris will eventually want to use his trailer, scrap or not. Can we go now?”
“Give me a moment.”
He kissed her, then her breasts, loving the way her breath caught and her pussy muscles tightened around him. He wanted her again. He hoped it would always be like this between them. He loved the way she responded to his touch, the way she could take charge, then give in to him. How she was never afraid to show she wanted him. But all that meant nothing if he couldn’t earn her trust. Without trust, there was no chance of her loving him.
As for what he felt for her, he wasn’t sure what it was. Love. Obsession. He just knew he couldn’t imagine life without her.
While she got dressed and reapplied her makeup, he pulled out his cell phone and called Paula. He wasn’t sure whether his instructions were coherent because he was busy watching Jillian through the mirror. She was so exquisite.
She reached inside her bag and pulled out the jewelry box with the gift he’d given her this morning. He braced himself, sure that she was going to return it. Was he wrong to want to drape her in the finest clothes and shower her with gifts?
“You win,”
she said, turning around to face him.
“I won’t fight you over gifts.”
She opened the box to reveal the Blue Nile signature diamond tennis bracelet set in platinum he’d handpicked in St. Martin.
“You said the bracelet reminded you of me. Why?”
“It’s beautiful and fragile, yet it’s made of the strongest element in the world.”
He lifted the bracelet from its satin bed and snapped it around her wrist.
“Just like you. You are strong, driven, and resolute, yet you’re also delicate. Fragile.”
He stroked her hand.
“You have the gentlest of hearts.”
She gawked at him. He was amazed she didn’t realize what a gem she was. If only she could see herself through his eyes. From the way she’d defended Margo to her protectiveness toward Chris Lander and the older actress she was talking to earlier, the goodness in her shone through. He couldn’t wait until he was the focus of her love and devotion.
He raised her hand to his lips.
“And one day, I hope you’ll trust me enough to accept the fact that I’m always right about everything.”
She laughed.
“Like I said, a serious god complex. Let’s go. I’m starving.”
She reached for her bag and grabbed his hand.
Outside, the people around the set were eating. Barbs and her husband were having a heated discussion with a group of people at a table. She waved. Everyone at their table looked up, smiled, and nodded. He’d met most of them this morning. Jillian had been working with them for months, yet they totally ignored her. That pissed him off.
He was a businessman and knew you treated all employees with respect, from the heads of departments to the blue-collar construction workers. They all did honest work and were all part of what made a project work. These same scriptwriters and directors would come begging Jillian to fund their movies once she had millions at her disposal.
She stared straight ahead, head held high, completely indifferent to their attitude. Or maybe she knew, but was better at hiding her reaction. She amazed him. Made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. There was so much about her he wanted to learn, so many facets of her he had yet to discover, but he was a patient man. He’d waited this long to find her, he’d wait some more, until she saw him as the man meant to love her.
Her expression changed when they reached Chris and his stunt crew. The group was more boisterous and waved to her. The lead actor, Keith the Aussie, was with them. His mother had mentioned the actor in passing when they’d talked earlier this morning. Apparently, he did his own stunts and knew how to charm older women.
“You did good, kiddo,”
one of the guys called out.
“Yeah, nice jump,”
a woman added. The rest nodded, some clapping.
Laughing, Jillian gave them a thumbs-up.
“No, you guys made it happen. Nice pyros, P.K. Didn’t feel a thing.”
A black guy who looked like a linebacker stood and bowed.
“Thanks, kiddo. I try.”
“See you guys on Monday.”
She gesture.
“call me” to Chris.
Lex whisked her away. It was obvious she was closer to the stunt crew than the rest of the people around the set. It just bugged the crap out of him that people like Jillian made the actions in the movies seem authentic yet weren’t accorded the respect they deserved. Any idiot could memorize lines and squeeze a tear. It took talent and hard work to do stunts.
Jillian looked around when they reached the parking lot, confusion on her face.
“I don’t see the Phantom.”
“That’s because we’re not using it.”
“Is Mathews picking us…?”
her voice trailed off when she saw the two bikes—his Road King was right beside the new Leeds Low Rider. She laughed, glanced at him, at the bike, and back at him.
“It’s beautiful. Is it… mine?”
she whispered, awe in her voice.
He hated to disappoint her, but… “No.”
“Oh.”
Her reaction didn’t surprise him. She touched the surface as though to prove it was real. From the handlebars to the wheel, she traced the chrome and leather.
“What do you call it?”
“Leeds LR, Low Rider.”
He put the keys in her hand.
“Eddie wants to know what you think.”
She glanced up.
“You mean I get to test ride it?”
He grinned at her expression.
“Unless it’s uncomfortable.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I’m not that sore.”
“Then you can ride it back to the city. No stunts or detours to see how it reacts to wheelies. The LR is designed for urban areas. That’s a prototype, so treat it with care.”
She shot him a look as though to sa.
“I intend to”
and straddled the bike.
“What engine did he use? What’s the fuel injection, the torque, the gear ratios…? Oh, I’ll need to check the right and left angle lean and how high—”
“Whoa, slow down, sweetheart.”
He shook his head.
“I can’t answer any of your questions, but I’m sure you will after you ride it.”
Jillian started the engine, her eyes closing as though bonding with it. From the look on her face, a bike would have made a much better gift than the diamond bracelet. Maybe Eddie could custom-make one just for her. It would make for a nice wedding present.
He handed her the helmet.
“Follow me.”
She grabbed the lapels of his jacket, stood, and kissed him. Now that was the kind of reaction a man could get used to.
Surprisingly, she stayed behind him all the way to Dublin House. He learned something new about her—give her what she wanted and she played nice. Not that he wanted niceness from her. She was perfect the way she was. Still, he stored away that revelation with the few things he’d learned about her.
During the elevator ride, all she talked about was the LR’s performance. He only heard half of what she said, preferring to soak in the nuances of her voice. He wasn’t sure whether she took voice lessons before heading to Hollywood—he hadn’t read her resume yet—or whether it was her way of enunciating certain words that appealed to his senses.
Lex enjoyed his bike. Loved the freedom that came with riding after being cooped up indoors at board meetings, in his car, the jet, or his office. He didn’t live and breathe bikes like Jillian and Eddie, but he understood passion. Jillian might love doing stunts, but she had a serious love affair with bikes.
Upstairs, a tray with covered plates waited for them on the kitchen counter. He lifted the silver dome-shaped lids and smiled. Paula never disappoints.
Jillian looked around.
“Where’s Douglas? Is he feeling better?”
“No, but my assistant has been taking care of him. Would you like something to drink?”
“Water is fine.”
She placed her jacket and purse on the counter.
“Can I check on him?”
“I’m sure he’d like that, but first…”
He dialed Eddie’s number as he retrieved bottled water from the fridge and handed it her. He spoke briefly with Eddie before offering the phone to Jillian.
“Eddie wants to hear your verdict.”
Uncertainty flickered in Jillian’s eyes.
“Are you sure? What do I tell him?”
“Everything you told me.”
She still hesitated. Her reluctance surprised him.
“Believe me, he’ll appreciate whatever feedback you give him.”
She scowled.
“I don’t do bike talk,”
he added.
“I had to listen to you go on and on about LR. I was this close to kissing you just to shut you up.”
Her jaw dropped. She snatched the phone and pointed it at him, eyes promising retribution. He grinned as she disappeared into the living room. With the right choice of words, he’d gotten his tigress back.
Lex removed the lids from the plates and took inventory of their lunch. Jillian’s voice rose and fell from the living room. Eddie was probably wishing he hadn’t asked for her opinion. Or not, Lex decided as she laughed. Her voice faded and sounds followed as though she’d slid open the deck door and closed it.
He followed her with the tray, but Jillian had taken the stairs and was by the door leading to Douglas’ quarters. The pool deck had two levels, the semi-circular patio hugging the wall of his living room and the lower deck by Douglas’s place. A set of steps connected the two decks and ran along the wall of the pool. A security glass wall surrounded the entire deck, allowing the occupants to enjoy the view without worrying about falling down the side of the building. A second set of steps connected the lower deck to the helipad. An electronically controlled gate at the top of the stairs gave added security.
Lex sipped water and stared at the city while waiting for Jillian to join him. She’d disappeared into Douglas’ apartment and hadn’t come out. He was starving. He checked his watch. Good thing they had the whole afternoon and night. His mother had changed their meeting to tomorrow because she suddenly had a meeting she couldn’t miss. Lex had a feeling she was plotting something with his sister and cousins.
“You have a beautiful home, Lex,”
Jillian said, coming up the stairs.
“From what I’ve seen anyway.”
“Thank you. It was one of my first buildings. I’ll give you the tour after lunch.”
He pulled out a chair and waited until she sat before asking.
“What did Eddie say?”
A beatific smile curled her lips.
“He wanted to know if he could hire me to test all his bikes.”
“And?”
“I told him I’d think about it.”
His wife the bike-tester. He could live with that. It definitely was safer than jumping from burning buildings. He shuddered, remembering her free-fall while on fire.
He took the seat across from her, and they dug in. They didn’t speak until half the turkey and shrimp salad croissant sandwiches were gone. Lex paused just before he took his next bite, remembering her earlier reaction to the phone call to his cousin.
“How come you have no problem telling me what you think about Leeds bikes but you didn’t want to talk to Eddie?”
“I know you.”
She leaned back against her chair and gave him a look that sent heat straight to his groin.
“You can take whatever I dish out and still beg for more.”
Lex choked on his drink. She grinned, then angled her head as though listening to something. Her eyes went to the partially opened door.
“That’s my phone. Excuse me.”
She disappeared inside. The next second he heard her yell, “No! Why?”
Lex shot to his feet at the anger in her voice and entered the house.
“He can’t do that,”
she added.
“We’ll see about that. I’m coming. Yes, Ricky. Right now. I don’t care what Cian thinks.”
Annoyance flashed through Lex. He’d cleared his calendar to spend the afternoon with her and she was leaving? And who the hell were Ricky and Cian?
He opened his mouth to ask her what was going on, but the words died on his lips when she turned off the phone, covered her face, and whispered.
“This is all my fault. I should have taken care of those bastards.”
The anguish in her voice hit Lex hard. His annoyance disappeared as his need to protect took over. He cleared his throat, and she whipped around. The pain in her eyes cut him deeply. It took all his willpower to stay where he was and speak in a neutral voice.
“Is everything okay?”