Vincent looked down at Lexi, who refused to meet his eye. Instead, she focused her attention on the potted plant beside her. “S-Sure, Lexi can go to lunch.” He nodded his head at the helmets, his brows knitted together in concern. “Motorcycles?”
“Yeah, I got a new bike and thought I’d take Lexi for a ride.” Peter’s stance was one of complete male arrogance.
“Helmets are required by law in California. I assume you have an extra?”
Lexi glared at Vincent, incredulous at his questioning of Peter. She glanced back and forth between the two men, watching them posture and scowl at one another. A giggle escaped from Christina just before she buried her face against Julian’s shoulder, earning her a glare from Lexi as well.
“Don’t worry, Vince, I’ll take good care of your girl.”
Furious, Lexi waved her hand at both of them. “Hi, I’m standing right here.” She elbowed Vincent and pulled him away from the group. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I don’t like that guy,” Vincent whispered back.
“I don’t remember asking your opinion.”
“Oh come on, like you didn’t see him staring at you during the presentation, undressing you with his eyes. Look at him. He can’t wait to get you wrapped around him on that bike.”
“You have lost your mind,” Lexi snapped, glancing back at their guests and smiling politely as she and Vincent continued their hushed discussion.
“No, I haven’t. He wants you.”
“He wants lunch, Vincent. And maybe he wants to show off his motorcycle a little. I think I can handle it.”
Vincent gave her a patronizing smile. “Have fun on your date, then.”
“It’s not a date; it’s lunch. And so what if it is a date? I don’t remember joining a convent. Believe it or not, Vincent, I do enjoy the company of men. i do have a pulse.”
“He’s not your type. He isn’t right for you.” Peter stood across the room, checking out his reflection in the glass of one of their framed print ads.
“Don’t you have a girlfriend to go check on?”
“Enjoy your lunch,” Vincent growled and stepped away from her, approaching his office door. He flashed a dazzling smile and a wave back at Christina, Julian, and Peter, and then disappeared into his office slamming the door shut behind him.
“What’s his problem?” Peter asked as he held out Lexi’s coat for her.
Lexi shrugged. “His girlfriend just got back into town, and she tends to suck the fun out of everything and everyone in a five mile radius.” She tossed her purse over her arm and followed Christina and Julian to the elevator.
“Enjoy yourselves.” Leigh grinned from behind her desk. She pointed at Peter when he had his back turned and flashed Lexi a big thumbs up.
Peter smiled at Lexi and whispered in her ear, “Thanks for letting us crash your lunch with Christina.”
His massive shoulders and chest brushed against her back as he ushered her into the open elevator doors. The heat from his body felt good as he stood behind her on the elevator, close but not crowding. A shiver went down Lexi’s spine when his fingers gently pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. “N-no problem.”
As they stepped off the elevator, Lexi’s phone went off. Without even thinking, she slipped it out of her pocket and glanced at the tiny screen. Her heart flew into her throat as she read the words. To anyone else, it would seem like an aberrant message, a mistake. But Lexi, who had been replaying Vincent’s earlier words over and over again in her head, knew exactly what it meant.
It was a very big deal.
She froze in the lobby, the sun streaming in through the large, glass windows. People moved past her, jumping in and out of the elevators on their way to appointments. Lexi simply stood there, rereading the message as if her life depended on it.
Their kiss was a big deal in a good way or a bad way? If it was such a big deal, then why was Jade still wrapped around him like an anaconda?
Why had he bit Lexi’s head off all morning, and why did he just act like a complete prick in front of Peter? There was no understanding this man, no matter how hard she tried. He only created more questions that would forever go unanswered.
He couldn’t just say something like that and leave it hanging out there between them. What did it even mean? Did he want her? Her pulse soared at the mere thought, but was stopped by the ache in her heart when she remembered seeing him with Jade today. Until he made up his mind about what this thing between him and Lexi meant, she wasn’t going to put her life on hold. She had been there done that.
“Everything okay, Lexi?” Christina asked as she wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “We don’t have to do this. It seems like you and Vincent might have some … unfinished business.” Christina recognized what was going on between them.
Frustrated tears welled in Lexi’s eyes as she stuffed her phone back into her pocket. She refused to let them fall and took Christina’s hand, leading her toward the door. She could see Julian and Peter beside their bikes, the chrome of their motorcycles shining in the sun. “Vincent and i have no business. Let’s go to lunch.”
Peter held an outstretched hand to her, a handsome smile welcoming her to his side. “You ready to have some fun, babe?” He brushed her hair out of her face and slid the helmet over her head, giving it a little tap to make sure it was on tight.
Lexi smiled. “Absolutely.”
Peter strode over to the bike and hoisted one leg over the beast, straddling the seat. “Jump on, babe. And hold on tight.”
Tentatively, Lexi approached the bike. It was big and intimidating, almost as intimidating as the confident, sexy man who was on it. But Lexi needed this. She needed to clear her head and feel alive. She was tired of sitting around waiting for life to happen. She wanted to be out there living. Sitting at her desk, working her fingers to the bone and waiting on Vincent was no way to live. She needed fun. She needed to feel desired, even if it was only for an hour.
Her heart clamored with excitement as she climbed onto the bike. She gingerly wrapped her arms around Peter. The closeness and intimacy felt awkward since she didn’t know him very well. His body shook as he chuckled, then Lexi heard his voice through the head set in her helmet.
“I drive fast, babe. You need to hold on tighter. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt me. And if you do, I’ll probably like it.” Peter took her hands and pulled them more tightly around his chest. Lexi’s fingers danced over the hard outline of his muscles, holding on, but also exploring what he had going on under that T-shirt. “Ready?” he asked, revving the engine. When Peter saw Lexi nod her head, they took off from the curb and went flying down the street with Christina and Julian at their side.