Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(24)
Author: K.A. Linde

Lexi’s mind had instinctually turned to Jack when Clark had invited her on this trip. She hadn’t even meant to ask about him. But somehow it had slipped out, and she had asked Clark the one pressing question she needed to base her decision on: Is Jack going to be there? She could handle hanging out with a bunch of people who knew that her and Jack had had…something at one point in time. But actually having him at the beach house for a whole week looking damn sexy would just kill her. She couldn’t do it.

Clark had been disappointed. She had been able to hear it in his voice over the phone. They had been dating for nearly nine months, and she still had to ask about Jack. Sighing uncomfortably, he had told her that he wasn’t positive but last he had heard from Seth, Jack would be out of town for his cousin’s graduation ceremony in Savannah which was a week ahead of their own. That was all the confirmation she needed, and she had happily agreed to accompany them to the beach. Her tan was waning anyway. Some hot rays would do her good.

Lexi popped open the door to the Lexus SUV as soon as Seth placed it in parked and gingerly stretched out her aching muscles. She breathed in the cool beach air and sighed pleasantly. Her head swiveled up to the massive beach house Seth’s parents called home. The entire place looked modern and chic from the outside. She couldn’t wait to see how the interior matched. But what she was really curious about was the beach. All she really wanted was to sink her feet into the pure white sand and stare out across the Gulf of Mexico.

Clark came around from the other side of the car and kissed her cheek. Taking one last look at her, he said, "Go on." He nudged her towards the side door that opened up to a pathway leading directly to the beach. "I’ll grab your bag."

Without a backwards glance, she rushed the gate. Yanking it open, she dashed down the stone stairs, and around the corner. Her breath caught at the sight of the ocean looming ahead of her. Chucking her flip-flops to the side just as she reached the threshold, she edged into the sand feeling the heated temperatures against her skin. Then she took off with a burst of energy loving the overpowering feeling of release at the thought of being here, in this beautiful place, for an entire week.

Just before she reached the sand soaked through from the salty water, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared dumbfounded in front of her. Maybe she was dreaming. Had she fallen asleep while she was in the car? Would she remember that she had been in the car if she was dreaming? Would he be here if she was dreaming? She didn’t really have to answer that question. He had always been in her dreams, but the real question was whether or not she was dreaming about him right now. Suddenly terrified, she wondered if Clark would hear her say his name. Then realizing she couldn’t be dreaming or else she wouldn’t be thinking about this, she would be doing…other things. Her mouth opened as he suddenly turned towards her.

Had she said his name out loud? She didn’t remember.

"Lex?" he asked obviously just as startled as she was. "What…? How…? I…uh…"

"Are you real?" she blurted without thinking.

A characteristic smirk appeared on his face, and she knew. He was real. Even her dreams didn’t make him look that gorgeous. Every feature was vividly defined in the afternoon rays pouring over his body, and into his intensely blue orbs.

He took a step forward clearing the gap she had left between them. It had been a safe distance. Now, he was so close their bodies were nearly touching. Her breath caught as she raised her head to meet his intense stare. God, he looked amazing. Her foggy image of his perfect features faded so quickly when he was out of sight. Everything felt right as she stood in his presence only inches separating them. He reached out placing one hand on her cheek, checking to see if she was in fact real. Lexi’s heart raced at the gentle touch, her mind returning to a brilliant clarity.

Jack was here.

They both seemed to be in a trance as their looks never wavered. She felt his thumb stroke her cheek lovingly, but she couldn’t break away from him. She couldn’t remember the last time he had touched her…on purpose. Then, the image of her lying nak*d on his bed filled her mind, and she blushed deeply. He seemed highly amused by this and stepped closer to her. They both sank an inch or so into the sand as he shifted causing her to reach out and grab his chest to steady herself. His smirk returned when she didn’t pull her hand away from his incredible build.

This couldn’t be happening to her. There was no way that Jack would be here. Everyone had confirmed that he was supposed to be in Savannah…far far away from the beach house. So she let her thoughts return to the possibility that she was dreaming. He was only a few inches from her succulent lips. It would be so easy to close the space. Though she had never envisioned being with Jack intimately on a beach before, she didn’t put it past her imagination. And her imagination could be very ingenious when it wanted to be.

Something was off about her dream though. At this point in the dream, Lexi was sure Jack would have practically read her thoughts, and would now be bending down to kiss her. That’s how it normally happened. She blushed deeper hoping that her dream Jack would kiss her already. Then colored even further as the time progressed and he didn’t.

No, she had been right the first time.

He was not a dream.

"Jaaaaaack," Lexi heard someone yell impatiently from the direction of the house.

Broken out of his spell, he quickly dropped his hand to his side and took a fraction of a step away from Lexi. Her heart thudded in her chest at the absence of his touch…his warmth. She suddenly felt very alone.

"Jack! What are you doing? Who is that?" another whiny cry broke through the serene expanse.

Jack glanced up to the house and did a slight almost dismissive wave, not even bothering to respond in turn. Lexi did not want to turn around. She had heard that Jack had a serious girlfriend, her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the prospect, but she had luckily never met her.

"I guess I better get up there. Everyone’s starting to stare," Jack said returning to her confused brown eyes.

That broke her out of her dream-like state, and she twisted to find a beautiful blonde leaning over an enormous wooden deck. Slowly, taking in the entire sight, she picked out Clark openly glaring at the spectacle before him. She didn’t think her cheeks could redden any deeper than at that moment. After everything Clark knew about her and Jack, this had to appear to be a very compromising situation.

She turned back to Jack anger flaring up inside. "Why are you here?" she demanded. He sighed contentedly. He had always found her sexy when she got riled up. "Aren’t you supposed to be at your cousin’s graduation ceremony? Why aren’t you in Savannah?"

"It was a cousin on my dad’s side. They are crazy redneck retards. And anyway, I really did not want to deal with boo-hoo your parents are divorced speeches for an entire week like they’ve been doing for the past three years," he stated calmly, fixing her with a pointed look. "And anyway, Seth and I grew up together. His parents moved here when his sister went to college last year, and they’re practically family. Actually," he considered for a second, "they are more like family now."

Lexi knew the details of his parents’ divorce and cringed at the harsh words. He had spoken about his parents’ divorce before, but generally steered clear of the subject. He hated the fact that they were separated, and just got pissed off when it was brought it up.

"So why are you here?" he asked angrily.

"What do you mean why am I here?"

"You’re f**king Clark. Right. I forgot," he said his voice ice cold.

"Fuck you," she spat angrily.

He nodded his head. "Right. Sorry, I like threesomes with two chicks, but if you’re interested?" he asked raising his eyebrows evocatively.

"Jaaaaaack," the girl yelled again, "are you coming back up?"

"Well that’s me. You should consider my offer," he added playfully. "Gotta go. It’s good to see you Lex." He purposefully brushed her hand as he passed by.

She was seething with anger. Clark had said he wouldn’t be here. She couldn’t even think straight. Why did he have to go shatter the image she had of him in her head? Why did he have to bring is girlfriend? She just wanted to scream with the pain of unanswered questions.

"Oh hey Lex," Jack called after he had only made it about ten feet away from her. She counted to five letting her breathing calm, and turned around to meet him. She huffed out her breath trying not to let her eyes veer from his face to his beautiful body. "Nice shirt." He let his eyes travel to her chest, and then produced a wink just for her.

She blushed again. What had she gotten herself into?

As Jack plodded through the thick sand ahead of her, she felt eyes boring into her. She didn’t want to look up and see the disappointment certain to be evident in Clark’s face. No wonder she had demanded that Jack not be present if she planned on attending. She saw him for all of ten seconds, and completely lost control of herself. He sent a rollercoaster of emotions rocketing through her veins. One second she had been elated ready to jump into his awaiting arms. The next they had been bickering like an old married couple.

She ran her hands through her brown curls, and let them fall haphazardly around her face. Nothing near perfection, but it would do in her frenzied state.

God, she hated so much that he got to her. She really would have just given herself over to him right there on the beach. She groaned feeling stupid for her thoughtless actions.

When she finally worked up the courage, she tilted her chin up to the hardwood deck, and found Clark all alone still staring at her intently. He motioned for her to come inside, and then without a word, turned and walked inside.

Time seemed drag as she waited for an opportunity to speak to Clark about what had happened. Seth hadn’t been joking about the room arrangements. As soon as she had returned from the beach, she had been stuffed in a room with one of Seth’s bimbos. Lexi had completely tuned her out, and instead, let her mind flood with concerns as she dutifully unpacked.

As soon as Lexi was alone with Clark, she hissed, "What is he doing here?"

"I don’t know," Clark said staring icily back at her. "What does it even matter?"

Lexi had no idea how to answer that question. How could she tell him that she couldn’t control herself around him? That she purposefully avoided him because of the things he unconsciously did to her body. Those weren’t things you could tell your boyfriend. "It just…does. You said he wouldn’t be here."

"I said that Seth didn’t think he’d be here. I guess he just changed his mind. That’s typical Jack." His green eyes seemed to see straight through her words. Clark had always been intuitive when it came to her. "Are you going to explain your actions on the beach?"

Why did he have to ask such difficult questions? She’d never been able to explain her actions to herself. How did he expect her to explain her compulsion to him?

"I don’t know what you mean," she finally mumbled.

His eyes narrowed. He didn’t believe her. She could tell. "You’re not going to tell me why it looked like you two were about to kiss?"

Lexi’s mouth popped open. "We were not! I can’t believe you would even think that," she huffed, hating that he had hit so close to home. Why did he understand her so well? Nine months wasn’t that long.