Chapter Fifteen
GAGE
P utting my Bronco in park outside of Structure Four — after Lexi texted me earlier which building was hers — I jump out and relax, leaning against my spotless pride and joy in black pants and a black button-up shirt. Good boots on of the same shade.
Gave my baby a slow cleaning after work was over. I like the set up at the shop — no better place in Atlanta to wash a vehicle.
I didn’t do it to impress Lexi. Fact is, the truck was pretty clean already.
I needed to clear my head, and taking care of this old girl always does the trick.
It’s a good eight minutes of waiting before I see the beauty through glass, adjusting her hair with gaze cast down in thought as she approaches the exit-door.
My chest tightens.
Frown deep.
Lexi’s in a red dress, a v-neck that cuts in around her middle with a belt, then flows to just below her knees, with short sleeves that look soft not tight. Her heels match it exactly, and as soon as she steps outside under a powerful streetlamp designed for safety, I get a look at shiny fingernails and toenails the same cherry-red.
Lipstick, too.
That’s the kicker.
She’s got no other makeup on that I can see. Those lips are holding their own, framed by ginger hair and bright green eyes.
“Damn.” I push off the truck, frowning because my stomach just tightened.
Lexi pauses with a flicker crossing her smile like she didn’t expect me to be so obvious in my appreciation. Her “Thank you,” is quiet and unusually modest. “You look great, too.”
Walking around to her side of my Bronco, I glance to its dark-blood shine and lock eyes with her. “You want to give a man a coronary?”
A happy laugh bubbles out of her, the self-conscious tension dissolved from her shoulders. Lexi reaches up to caress hair back from my forehead, biting her bottom lip before she smiles, “Hi Gage.”
Suddenly I forget what we’re even doing. Why I’m here. The reservation I made.
I gather her up and kiss her, leaning my back against my truck, Lexi’s soft body crushed against me. She’s as responsive as ever, just as I need her to be. Lips mine all mine.
Someone whistles at us, so close by that we break free to see where they are. A couple of guys in khakis, polo shirts, and flip flops, give us two thumbs up. “Lucky!” one shouts, and they laugh, heading for the opposite parking garage.
Focusing back on my beautiful date, my eyebrows hike, “Um…” and I chuckle before adding, “Your uh, lipstick.”
“Me? You should see your mouth!”
“Really? Hang on, I think I’ve got some paper towels in here.”
“I might have a tissue in my bag,” Lexi smiles, digging around as I open the door and find an empty glove compartment.
“Forgot I cleaned this out.”
She wets her thumb by sucking on it, “Here,” starting to come at me.
I block her, grabbing her hand. “What’re you, my mom?” and tickling Lexi’s waist with my free hand.
She screams, tries to get away, “Stop it!”
I let her go, shutting the passenger door as my chin jerks up. “I need to use the bathroom anyway.”
Cherry eyebrows fly toward the third floor balcony above us. “Oh…okay.”
I watch her heels click away until shiny fingernails wink in the lamplight as she taps a password into the building’s security pad, two large potted plants on either side of her gorgeous legs.
Glancing to my truck I ask, “Do they ticket here?”
Lexi shrugs, “I think it’ll be alright for a few minutes.”
“Cool.”
I follow her inside, and into the elevator, hypnotized by her dress’s sway over calves I lay between just this morning. This is the first time I’ve seen them in heels, the toned curve a sight I won’t soon forget.
It’s a quick ride, us standing apart with Lexi staring at the numbers lighting up one by one.
A weird feeling settles in. “You okay?”
She shrugs as we walk out. That’s all I get?
I take her hand, “Hey.”
Reluctant eyes meet mine. “I’m fine.”
I step closer, volume low for the neighbors. “What the fuck is going on, Cherry?”
The nickname relaxes her a little. “I uh…” She blinks away from me, adding a confused, “I don’t bring guys back here often.”
“Place a pit?”
A grin flashes, “No!” and disappears, “It’s not that. I mean, we’re not the clean squad, but we’re not slobs either.” She frowns and repeats, “It’s not that,” like she’s stalling.
“What is it? Brad never came here?”
She blanches, muttering, “Can we not talk about him?”
I grunt, “Sure,” irritated I allowed myself to forget her feelings for that asshole. Won’t happen again. “Why don’t you go get a napkin and let’s get outta here. I’ve got a reservation waiting for us.”
“Oh!” Lexi’s eyes widen with surprise. “You made reservations somewhere?”
“What, d’ya think mechanics don’t know how to use the Internet? I could rewire the damn thing if I wanted to.”
“Stop it, that’s not what I meant.”
“Why so surprised then, Cherry?”
“I don’t like your tone, Gage.”
Fixing my gaze on a scuff-mark probably made from a bicycle’s tire as it was carried upstairs, I nod and say nothing more.
She walks away from me, carpet taking the sting out.
I follow her. “Hey.”
Spinning around, Lexi’s fire is in full force. “What?!”
With zero aggression I tell her, “Let’s cut it out.”
She blinks narrowed greens, repeating with less fury, more confusion, “What?!”
I kiss her, and she melts in my arms while I explain what I can’t find words to say. Whenever I’m pissed they leave me hanging. But I know how to communicate like this. Lexi does, too, and her hands dig into my biceps as she pushes me against the wall, not the other way around. Our kisses are a fucking mess of arguing it out until we finally come up for air.
“We good now?”
She gives this dazed and sexy, “Mmmhmm,” taking my hand to walk the two remaining steps to her apartment.
But the door swings open before Lexi gets a chance to insert her key, and
