“Good, because I like Lexi. She’s a kick in the pants and I think that’s exactly what you need, someone who isn’t all gaga over you because you’re this big shot and you have money. She sees you for you, Vincent. And she still likes you. That’s pretty amazing, man.”
They laughed and looked out over the full moon as it hung low in the sky. “She is amazing.” Vincent grinned at Sean who nodded his head wholeheartedly in agreement.
“And she has a kickass car.” Sean elbowed Vincent in the side. “Stop overthinking things, man.”
“Kinda hard not to. She’s my assistant.”
“Well, hell, there is that, but work around it.” He held open the door to the house and let Vincent step inside. “So what happened up there? Did you say something stupid again?”
“No, that’s your style.” Vincent shrugged his shoulders. “I kissed her.”
Anna and her parents walked into the room just in time to hear Vincent’s big confession, then all hell broke loose.
“You did what?”
“That’s great!”
“Oh, boy …”
“Shit.”
Their reactions bombarded him from every direction, and Vincent slowly nodded in agreement with all of it. “My thoughts exactly.”
∙ 19 ∙
Yo u kissed him?” Hope squawked as she nearly went off the road in shock. “Stop saying it!” Lexi moaned from the passenger’s seat beside her friend.
“I’m so stupid. What’s wrong with me?”
“Honey,” Hope reached over and squeezed Lexi’s hand, “it was just a kiss.” “I kissed my boss, Hope,” she sobbed, “and to him I’m sure it was just a kiss, but to me it was …”
“It’s okay. I swear it will be okay.”
For the rest of the ride home, Lexi remained silent, her head pressed against the glass of the window as she watched the scenery fly by. By the time they reached the apartment, Lexi had no more tears left to shed. She crawled from the car and retreated into the safety of her home. Hope followed her inside and helped get her friend settled.
“Let me make you some tea. It’ll help.” Hope rummaged around for the kettle and heated the water while Lexi changed into a pair of comfy pajamas.
By the time Lexi sat down on the couch, Hope was there with a cup of tea and a hug.
“This is a disaster, Hope. I have no idea what I am going to do. I kissed him. It was no peck on the cheek. It was a full on, make out kiss. Every time i close my eyes I can see him; I can feel him.” Lexi rubbed her fingertips across her lips with panic in her eyes. “I need to make these feelings go away. I won’t be that pathetic girl I was in high school again.”
“You aren’t pathetic.”
Lexi snorted and rolled her eyes. “I smuggle a grown man cheeseburgers just to see the way his eyes light up when he spies the bag in my hand. i make him a cup of coffee every morning, even though he’s more than capable of doing it himself, just so he thanks me in his husky morning voice.
Hell, if my desk wasn’t right outside his office I’d probably be coming up with lame reasons to walk by his door just to catch a glimpse of him. I’m pathetic with a capital P.” She slowly sipped her tea and settled back on the couch.
“Well,” Hope said nonchalantly, “based on what I saw, you aren’t the only one sporting a little crush. He’s interested in you too.”
“Please.” Lexi put her mug down on the coffee table and tucked her legs under her as she rolled her eyes.
“Are you really that blind? The man sat there and blew feathers at you all night, which in case you misunderstood, was shameless flirting on his part.
And don’t think I didn’t notice the two of you all huddled close together, whispering back and forth. Anna nearly fell out of her seat watching you guys.
Even Sean said something about it.”
“Oh, God.” Lexi pressed her hand to her stomach in an effort to stop the rolling she felt inside. “What did he say? Do I even want to know? Did it involve condoms?”
Hope laughed. “You need to calm down. It wasn’t bad. He thinks you’re good for Vincent. You make him smile; everyone says so.”
“Everyone?” Lexi squeaked out in horror. “I have to quit. I can’t go back there knowing people are talking about me like that. I thought I was doing a good job hiding my ridiculous crush.” She covered her face with her hands.
Hope smoothed the hair out of her friend’s face and rested her hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “Is that what it is, just a crush?”
“Stop it. Don’t make me say it. I can’t.”
Hope let the question die and replaced it with a much juicier one. “Is he a good kisser?” she asked with a wicked smile. “He looks like he could curl a girl’s toes. That dark, brooding thing he has going on is pretty sexy.”
For the first time since they had left Anna’s house, Lexi laughed. “The man could teach a college level course on kissing.” She fanned her heated cheeeks as she remembered how the soft, gentle kiss turned into so much more.
“Was there tongue?”
“Hope!” Lexi scolded.
“I just need to know exactly what kind of kiss your boss gave you.”
Twisting her fingers together, Lexi whispered, “He gave me the best kiss of my life. I felt it under my skin, Hope. And then I wrapped my arms around his neck and practically mauled him … in front of Madison.” Lexi smacked herself in the head. “Anna will never let me near her daughter again.”
“Who initiated the tongue?” Hope’s question stopped Lexi’s ranting.
“Excuse me?”
“Whose tongue went in whose mouth first? That’s a crucial bit of information.”
Lexi thought about it for a minute and blushed. “I guess it was his tongue in my mouth. I still don’t understand why that matters.”
“Because that means he kissed you. Think about it. He was okay with the whole idea from the beginning, right? He wanted to kiss you, and what could’ve been an innocent little peck, he turned into a Gene Simmons-like display of oral showmanship.” Hope grinned.
“I French kissed my boss!” Lexi wailed as she buried her face in the pillow. “That’s just so wrong. How am I going to face him tomorrow when all I’ll be able to do is blush like an idiot or stare at his lips and remember the sexy chest rumble thing he did as he kissed me? Either way, it’s too late.