Under Her Skin

“Isn’t that why Jed married your mother?”

“That doesn’t make it right.”

“You think people should marry for love?”

“It’s traditional,” she said lightly. “Not every relationship has to be a business transaction. There are more important things in life than winning.”

“Name one.”

Being loved, she thought, as the waitress arrived with their breakfasts. She set Cruz’s stuffed omelet in front of him, then served Lexi her cinnamon French toast.

Lexi waited while he took a bite, then grinned as his eyes widened slightly.

“See,” she told him. “It was worth it. Admit it.”

“It was,” he said when he’d chewed and swallowed. “You were right.”

“Magic words,” she said with a sigh.

“So it is about winning.”

“Not in the way you mean it.”

“You’re a lot more like me than you want to admit,” he said.

Instead of answering, she took a bite of her breakfast.

Cruz was wrong about her, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. Better that he think she was as determined and emotionless as he was. He wouldn’t guess that behind her cool facade lurked the heart of a romantic. Not that he would care if he knew-the more she learned about Cruz, the more he reminded her of her father. A man who had never experienced a soft emotion in his life and didn’t see the point of ever giving his heart.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED back at her town house, Cruz pointed to the boxes.

“I could help you pack.”

“That’s okay. I can handle it myself.”

He didn’t look convinced. “What time should I be by to help you move?”

As it was just clothes and a few personal items, Lexi figured one trip in Dana’s truck would be enough. “I’ll be there. You don’t have to worry.”

“I don’t worry.”

“You seem a little nervous.”

Humor flashed in his dark eyes. “Nervous?”

“You’re practically sweating. I said I’d be there, and I will be. Stop hovering.”

She thought he might take the bait and get huffy, but Cruz was too smooth for that. Instead of stepping away or thumping his chest, he moved closer. Close enough to make her worry about starting to sweat herself.

“I don’t hover,” he said, his voice low and strong and oddly caressing. “I don’t need to.”

“I’m just saying…”

He shifted until they were practically touching. Except they weren’t. Still, she could feel the heat of him and it was suddenly difficult to breathe.

“Yes,” he murmured, his gaze locked on her mouth. “What were you saying?”

“I, ah…I can’t remember.”

“Good. You think too much.”

She knew he was going to kiss her, so she shouldn’t have been surprised by the feel of his mouth on hers. Still, as he bent toward her and pressed his lips against hers, she jumped, as if every nerve ending had been startled, then delighted.

He put one hand on her shoulder, the other on her waist, and pressed his mouth a little more firmly against hers, as if claiming her.

Her skin prickled, her throat went dry and she found herself wanting to lean in to him. She wanted their bodies touching everywhere possible. She wanted his hands roaming, his kiss claiming. She wanted naked on naked, wet and swollen flesh. She wanted to be taken. She wanted to give herself to him, to open herself and then to get lost in an orgasm that would shatter every part of her.

The image was so clear, so intense, that she scared herself. Despite the still chaste kiss, she drew back, terrified of what would happen next.

He smiled at her-a knowing smile, then rubbed his knuckles against her cheek. “Soon,” he promised, then he was gone.

“SIX BOXES, three plants and a few suitcases?” Dana asked as she helped Lexi load the truck. “Are you really moving in with Cruz or staying for a long weekend?”

Lexi wrinkled her nose. “I don’t take this much for a month and you know it. Of course I’m moving in.”

Dana pushed in the last suitcase. “No furniture? Not even that antique side table you drooled over for weeks before you finally bought it?”

“I might bring that along later.” Depending on whether or not Cruz had room. She hadn’t known what to pack, never having seen his house, let alone been inside of it. She hadn’t known what to do about her mail or her phone calls. She’d ended up forwarding the former to her office and the latter to her cell phone. Deception was a complicated business.

Dana slammed the back of the truck closed and faced Lexi. “What the hell is going on?”

Lexi did her best to look innocent. “Nothing. Everything is perfect. I have Cruz’s address here. I’ll put it in my GPS system, then you can follow me.”

As soon as the words were out, she knew she’d made a big mistake. She swallowed. “What I meant was…”

Dana drew her eyebrows together. “You don’t know how to get to his house?”

“Not exactly.”

“He’s your fiance and you don’t know where he lives?”

“That’s not really a big deal.”

“Let me be clear on this-” Dana folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the truck. “We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on here. I don’t have to work today. I can stand here until midnight.”

Which she would, Lexi thought, knowing her friend could be stubborn. “You don’t want to know because before I tell you the truth, I’d have to make you promise not to tell Skye and Izzy. You’re friends with them and you won’t like keeping secrets. So just accept that I know what I’m doing. Okay?”

“It’s not okay. It’s light years from okay. Are you in trouble? Are you doing something illegal? Do I have to arrest someone?”

Lexi laughed. “No. As disappointing as you’ll find this, handcuffs are not required.”

“So tell me.”

“You won’t tell anyone else? Swear?”

Dana hesitated, then nodded.

Lexi knew two things-first, her friend wouldn’t like the conditions of the deal, and second, she would keep her word.

“That story I told you before, about how I met Cruz, is true. A while back an investor offered me two million dollars to grow my business. It was a sweet deal and I jumped at the opportunity.”

“Cruz was the investor?”

“No. There was a catch with the money. The loan was callable in twenty-one days, but I wasn’t worried. My banker had done business with this investor before, and who would want to loan me that kind of money, then call in with no notice, potentially ruining me?”

“Good point. So what happened?”

“The note got called. I had to come up with the two million.” Lexi raised her hand. “Do not say I could ask my father. You know what that would mean.”

“You’d be free of him,” Dana said, rolling her eyes. “I know, I know, he’s your dad, but come on. He’s controlling all of you. Let go. Walk away.”

From everything she’d ever wanted? No. She was in this to win. “I had to find another way to get the money.”

“Cruz,” Dana said. “He gave you two million dollars and you gave him…”