Avoiding Commitment (15 page)

“Oh…eww…why?” Olivia asked crinkling her
nose.

“Ex-roommate bonding something or other,”
Lexi told her vaguely.

“Right…okay. Have fun with that,” she said
making another gagging noise.

“Will do,” Lexi said, retreating to her
bedroom to decide on something to wear. At first, she threw on a
loose pair of jeans and a red baggy t-shirt. She stared at her
reflection in the mirror, and sighed heavily. If she was going to
pretend to hang out with Jennifer, she had to play the part.
Sliding the jeans and t-shirt back off, she rummaged through her
closet until she found a navy, three-quarter length, scoop neck
blouse, and a grey skirt. Lexi placed a tiny silver chain with a
sideways heart pendant around her neck and black flats. Jennifer
would have never been seen in public with Lexi in what she had been
wearing previously. Or at least that was her excuse for dressing
sexy.

Apprehensively, Lexi slid back into her car
to head over to Jack’s apartment. Two hours had passed since their
phone call, and he probably thought she had bailed. After all, she
shouldn’t be seeing him at all.

She just hoped nothing would go wrong. As
long as they both knew that this wasn’t going anywhere. They had
gone down that path, and had seen how poorly it had ended.

But this time there was no girlfriend holding
him back from showing his true feelings for Lexi. The only thing
preventing him was himself. She hoped that was enough.

Lexi skipped up to Jack’s doorway and found
it open just as she arrived. He had been waiting for her. “Here you
are,” he said looking her up and down. “Wow, you look great.” He
was obviously ogling the length of the skirt revealing so much of
her tanned thighs.

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t know if you were going to show,” he
stated as she skirted past him into the living room.

“Me either.”

“Well, I’m glad you did.” She nodded not
letting herself admit that she already felt better by being around
him. “Did you want to watch a movie or something?” he asked.

“Sure thing.” She grabbed a movie off of the
shelf and went to put it into the DVD player remembering their
movie nights all too well.

“Actually, I just got a TV for my room, if
you want to watch it in there,” he said casually.

She could read him though. He knew if they
were in his bedroom that she would be forced to sit next to him.
But she couldn’t decide whether or not she minded. “Okay. We’ll go
in there, but don’t think you’re off the hook about the Chamber
story,” Lexi said pointing the movie at him.

He raised his hands in defense. “Of course
not.”

They moved to the bedroom, and Jack put the
movie in turning the volume down until it was more background noise
than anything. He sat next to her on his bed, but was careful not
to touch her. He was being courteous and respectful, which was
good, so far.

Lexi poked him in the ribs playfully. “So
spill mister! How did you know I was going to be at Chamber? That’s
been bothering me for awhile now.”

“I already told you, that’s an easy one.”

“Yeah. Yeah, but how?”

“Krista told me.”

She stared at him blankly. “Huh?” That didn’t
add up. Krista, last year’s gymnastics captain, was currently
residing in Las Vegas. How would she know that Lexi was at a bar on
any given night? And why would she tell Jack about it even if she
did find out?

“You asked me how I knew, and it was because
Krista told me.”

“Yeah, but how do you know Krista? And why
did she tell you?”

“Well, one—I knew her before you did. She
dated one of my friends freshman year. When they broke up, we
remained friends.” Her eyes narrowed. “Just as friends,” he added
quickly. “And, two—she received a text or something from you. She
told me you were there, because I was the one who told her about
you.”

“You told her about me?”

“Yeah. After you stopped returning my
messages, I just went ahead and told Krista about you. I gave her
your email and told her that you were worth her time. I think you
know the rest of the story.”

“You did that for me?” she asked wistfully,
realizing for the first time that Jack had single-handedly secured
her position with the gymnastics team.

“Of course, I did it for you.”

“I mean, I figured you had something to do
with it since I hadn’t told anyone else about it.”

“You hadn’t told anyone else?” he asked in
disbelief.

She blushed at the admission. “Uh…no.”

“But why? I mean, why did you tell me?”

“Well, first, you asked and second, I don’t
know…it sounded like you were honestly interested. I thought that
gymnastics was part of my past. That since I hadn’t been recruited
out of high school everything had been a waste. And I hated
admitting that to myself. Let alone to anyone else.”

“But you told me.”

Lexi nodded. “I told you.”

“Because you trusted me,” he said, his voice
lowering.

“That’s right.”

“And I ruined it,” he said looking away from
her. She could tell he was in pain about what had happened. He
looked just as hurt now admitting that he had hurt her as he had
nearly a year earlier. It was almost too much to bear. Why was he
so damn sexy and caring? Why couldn’t she see past that? Why
couldn’t she stay angry at him for playing her for a fool?

Finally, he met her gaze. “Let me make it up
to you,” he said scooting closer so their knees were almost
touching.

“Jack,” she said in warning, but she didn’t
move away.

“I
need
to make it up to you. I told
you I’d never lie to you again, but that’s just the beginning.
That’s not enough.”

Lexi just stared at him. She didn’t know what
he had in mind, but she knew that she wouldn’t...couldn’t stop
him…whatever it was. The feeling was exhilarating.

“You deserve more than that,” Jack said
reaching out and caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. It
was the first time he had touched her. His hand turned and cupped
her cheek affectionately, lifting her face up to his. His hands
were warm and she could feel the calluses from working for his dad.
Yet, the touch was kind and gentle. There was so much affection in
that gesture she thought she might break right then and there.
“Will you let me prove that to you?” he asked his piercing blue
eyes set solely on her.

She couldn’t believe what she was doing. His
lips were only inches away from her. She was putty in his hands.
The instant he had touched her, she was lost. Her eyes were closing
of their own accord, and she could feel her head tilt back to reach
him. She was craving his sweet kiss. Her conscience told her to run
from him, but she just couldn’t. Despite the fact that she had
promised herself that all they were going to do was talk, she
didn’t pull away from him. Everything about the situation was
wrong, and she knew it. But it felt so right to be with him, and
she couldn’t seem to process anything else.

“You made me promise to keep my hands to
myself,” Jack whispered, his breath hot on her lips. She could feel
her body tense in anticipation. “Do you want me to stop?”

Lexi whimpered as his hand moved to the nape
of her neck pushing up into her dark brown curls. She needed to
tell him to stop. Her mind needed to clear, and not concentrate on
the chills she found running down her spine at his touch. But her
voice wasn’t working. She didn’t really want him to stop, and the
effort of conjuring up those words seemed to be too much.

“Lex, look at me.” Her eyes fluttered open
and she stared dreamily up at him. She wet her lips as she waited
for him to continue. “I want to make it up to you, but I don’t want
to cross a line. You’ll tell me if I am?”

Lexi thought about it for a second. She was
having a hard time thinking when he was so close to her; his
crystal clear baby blues seemingly staring straight through her. To
be honest, she wasn’t sure how he was even controlling himself.
Just a slight touch from him had sent her body into overdrive. Her
pulse was racing, and her nipples were erect.

But could she let herself do this? Guilt
creased her features for a brief second before he kissed her
worries away. He had never kissed her like this before. The passion
they had both been feeling overflowed as he parted her lips. His
tongue licked across her bottom lip before moving in and meeting
her tongue. She moaned as the kiss intensified. He pulled her into
his lap and pressed their bodies firmly together, letting his hand
rest on the inside of her bare thigh.

Almost as soon as the kiss began it ended.
Lexi ended up straddled on top of him in her grey mini skirt. She
could feel the course material of his jeans against her inner
thighs, and felt his erection pressed against her barely-there,
red, lace thong. She was panting as she stared at him from her
precarious position.

“That didn’t cross the line?” Jack asked
pressing one more kiss on her lips. She shook her head. Words still
wouldn’t come. She just wanted more. Her eyes moved from his eyes
eagerly back to his lips. She leaned in and gave him another, more
demanding kiss. She could feel him smiling against her mouth.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Picking her up, he
effortlessly flipped her over on her back so that he was situated
on top of her. She adjusted her position so that her head rested
comfortably on a pillow. This did nothing for her skirt which rode
up to the very tops of her thighs as she moved.

He seemed to ignore this fact as his hands
crawled up her shirt and cupped her breasts through the red lace
bra she had put on before coming over. His head moved towards her
skin as he pulled down the bra, and grasped her nipple between his
lips. She gasped at his forwardness, but didn’t disapprove.
Actually, whatever he was doing with his mouth was working.
Groaning, she wiggled her hips in appreciation. While his tongue
began working on her other breast, his hand snaked underneath and
unclasped the bra.

“And this,” he said flicking his tongue
across her hard nipple, “isn’t crossing the line?” Her eyes snapped
shut, back arching at the delicious feel of him. All thoughts of
stopping had completely left her. She had come this far. She wasn’t
sure if she could stop him even if she wanted to. And she didn’t
want to.

“I don’t think you’ll need this,” he said
pulling her shirt over her head, and tossing it along with her bra
to the floor.

She couldn’t believe herself. Here she was,
all but nude, on Jack’s bed. Her practically see-through thong
hardly covered anything, and her skirt seemed to be on just for
show. It wasn’t really preventing anything.

“You know I think you look more beautiful now
than I’ve ever seen you,” Jack said moving to kiss her on the lips.
She breathed him in. Everything about him turned her on. The way he
had so easily riled her up; the way his lips and tongue had turned
her to jell-o. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like if he
went farther. Her body liked that thought, and she could feel her
thong begin to soak through. Really was there a point for her
having it on? She couldn’t remember.

She hadn’t even realized that her hands were
digging into his back until he pulled back to strip off his shirt.
Her gaze fell on the perfectly toned abdomen muscles. Instinct made
her reach out and trail her fingers down his six-pack enjoying the
feel of each solid muscle. He groaned as her hand reached his
waistline. She ran her thumb underneath the hem of his jeans across
the sensitive portion of skin.

Jack reached out and laced his hands in hers,
then forced her back against the bed roughly pushing her hands
above her head. “We’ll get there later,” he said, teasingly pushing
his erection against her as he bent forward and kissed her ear. An
even louder gasp escaped her lips. “This is about you. Me making
things up to you.”

She closed her eyes again and lost herself in
the feel of his hands running down her arms, across her breasts,
along the line of her stomach, catching the curve of her buttocks,
and then teasing her thighs with his fingertips. She let loose a
moan as he unexpectedly nipped at the inside of her right leg,
spreading it open wide.

“Jack,” she moaned as his mouth moved up her
left thigh successfully spread-eagling her legs in front of his
face.

“Yes, dear?” he asked his finger trailing the
line of her thong.

“Oh, Jack,” she gasped feeling his finger get
replaced by his tongue.

“Mmm hmm?” he asked his breath hot against
her lace thong only increasing the wetness across the flimsy
material. “Do you want me to keep going?”

She wasn’t sure if she could handle this any
longer. God, she wanted him so bad. She had wanted him to do this
for a year. The sexual build-up was killing her. She knew her body
was already so close to release that if he so much as laid one
finger in her she would be gone.

“Lex,” he moaned pressing his thumb gently
against her clit.

“Yeah...yes...um...yes?” she asked, her body
tightening at the feel of the pressure on such a sensitive area,
even through her thong.

“You didn’t answer,” he said relieving the
pressure briefly. “Do you want me to keep going?”

She wanted to say no, to push him away and
run out of the house. Or at least, she knew that’s what she should
want, but she didn’t. She wanted him to keep going and not to stop
until she was spent. Lexi found herself nodding. Then realizing he
couldn’t see her with his face buried in her crotch, she finally
uttered, “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, I want you to keep going.”

“You’re sure?”

“God, please, touch me.”

Ever so slowly, he hooked his finger under
the thong and began to massage her clit in a circular fashion. When
she began to buck her hips against the immense amount of pressure,
he removed her skirt and thong, and threw them to the floor. As
soon as they left his hand, he dove down and began flicking his
tongue against her clit in short, quick, back-and-forth motions.
Her legs began to shake from the exertion of holding them open, and
allowing him to have his way with her. Her body began to overflow
with pleasure as she got closer to climax. He rotated between
licking and sucking motions enjoying the taste of her all over his
mouth. His fingers appeared and slid between her lips opening her
up fully to him. She pushed her hips up eager to meet his fingers
that were positioned over her moist opening.