Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(28)
Author: K.A. Linde

"I don’t even know your names," she said buying herself some time.

"You don’t need our names," Georgia Tech guy informed her whipping around Ramsey and snaking an arm around her waist. So maybe his roommates weren’t as handsome as Jack or even Ramsey, but they were still cute. At least cute enough that she would have flirted with them on any other night.

She thought she heard his friend whisper something derogatory into his friend’s ear, but she didn’t catch all of what was said. The end was something along the lines of "after we’re through with her." But understanding the looks that were cast between the two of them, she probably didn’t want to know the rest. She wasn’t all that surprised since these two were obviously well passed hammered. She needed to say something to get their minds off of sleeping with her, because that would never happen.

"So explain this party to me. It’s eight o’clock on a Sunday. Liquor stores aren’t even open on Sunday’s," Lexi asked glancing between Ramsey and his two roommates.

"Ramsey comes pretty stocked," Georgia Tech guy answered eye-f**king her clothing choice. It was a good thing she didn’t do self-conscious.

"Oh does he?" she asked eyeing him suggestively. Jack coughed uncomfortably in the corner. Bekah had snaked an arm up to his hair and was gently twirling the longer strands in the back between her fingers.

"I thought we weren’t friends," Ramsey reminded her pushing aside his roommates who looked all too ready to devour her.

"We’re not," she said smiling coyly looking at him from under her long lashes. "I’m not this nice to my friends." This was better. She could avoid being rude to him for a few minutes while Jack watched. Though, she wasn’t all too sure how long she could hold out the routine.

"Alright," he began, looking at her peculiarly as if wondering when she had become so nice, "I have a good deal of friends who work in late night establishments weekend nights. So, I host parties Sunday nights for them."

Well that was simple enough. "That’s uh…nice of you."

Bekah giggled. "Nice is one word for it."

"Bekah," Ramsey said turning his attention to her. Though the tone wasn’t sharp and the look he sent her was the same perfect Country Club smile that gave away nothing, she knew he wasn’t pleased. She wasn’t sure what it was about her that made her realize it. There was just a slight line of tension forming around his mouth, and his hands were curled into loose fists. Something about the way his eyes clouded over as he stared at her. Lexi seemed to have accidentally stepped into a family dispute, and was feeling all the more uncomfortable as Bekah returned his resolute smile.

Slowly, he shifted his gaze back to Lexi. "Anyway, what they meant is that I have a fully stocked bar," Ramsey said sweeping his arm out to reveal a black bar along the majority of the back wall. The only wall space not obscured by the construction was a black door with a large open window opening up to what looked like a small balcony.

"Ya know, I kind of figured that," Lexi said. A few people were already ordering drinks from a tiny blonde bombshell whipping up concoctions as fast as they were requested. Jack and Bekah sidled up to the girl hand-in-hand, and began swiftly knocking back their drinks.

"So what would you like?" Ramsey asked her. "Valentine can make you anything."

Lexi giggled a little at her name. Valentine really? God, that was awful. Sounded like a stripper’s name or something. She quickly composed herself as Ramsey looked down on her fondly. She hadn’t meant to giggle. "Oh well a Grateful Dead would be nice," she told the bartender picking a drink at random. Within seconds the drink was before her complete with a cherry and everything. She was impressed. "This is kind of awesome," she admitted. The smile she received from Ramsey was nearly blinding. He genuinely looked ecstatic that she approved.

Another uncomfortable cough emanated from behind them, and Lexi hastily turned around to find Jack looking between her and Ramsey. She wasn’t sure why he was acting like this. Honestly, it was ridiculous. He was here with his girlfriend after all. She was the one who was supposed to be jealous. Not him. But it was kind of nice to have the upper hand every once in awhile.

"We’re going to go dance," Jack said pointedly grabbing Bekah’s free hand and pulling her into the crowded living room. Lexi watched their trailing backs immediately become enveloped in the mass. She hated how they were acting. Wasn’t she supposed to be getting over Jack? She couldn’t see that hanging out with him like this was helping anything. Quite the contrary. She felt just as compelled to him as she had when she had first glimpsed his brown hair at the coffee shop or those enticing blue eyes at the club. She had been right to say that things weren’t different. And Chyna had been right to say that she needed some semblance of closure. She needed to be over him. She couldn’t keep living her life hoping they would one day find the right moment to be together. Her heart told her that she didn’t really want out, but she couldn’t allow him to keep breaking her.

Turning back to face Ramsey’s perfect smile, she downed her drink as fast as she could automatically reaching out for him to steady her weak legs. "Wow, that’s the good stuff," she said returning his smile.

"Want another?"

"Mmm…sure. Wait," she cried stopping him before ordering, "let’s do lemon drops! Those are my favorite."

The peculiar look he had given her earlier returned. She liked it. He was very cute indeed. He turned back to Valentine. Seconds later, two lemon drops were in front of them. The dizzying effects of vodka coursing through her body were helping her successfully escape from the hold Jack had on her. She needed another. After two more rounds of shots her mind was good and cloudy, and she was ready to dance. Ready to forget. Lexi grabbed Ramsey’s hand and pushed her way through to the center of the crowd. He seemed surprised that she wanted to be around him all of a sudden, but quickly got over that as she began to shamelessly grind her ass against him.

There was hardly enough space for her to breathe let alone move around much. That left her the option of being plastered against Ramsey’s strong chest, and really she didn’t mind. He was a solid rock of muscles. She had to be right in her assessment that he worked out constantly. There was no other option for how strong he was.

The best part was that he was a great dancer. Each time she would change up the style, he would instantly follow somehow making the movements even sexier. Lexi reached up, and wound her hands around his neck as she stood on the balls of her feet. He took advantage of the opportunity to move his hands along her exposed body feeling the hot skin through her clothing. Leaning back against his chest, she let her head fall back and stare up into his amazingly well structured face. Just as that happened, a rather well-endowed blonde shimmied up to them and began grinding on Lexi. The girl was doing things with her body that Lexi had never dreamed people were capable of. She was contorting and twisting all the while touching herself. The girl’s eyes were blood shot and unfocused occasionally rolling back into her head. Lexi was sure she was on drugs.

Ramsey grasped the girl’s arm forcefully and squeezed. Her eyes snapped open. Lexi stared between the two and stopped moving. "Not tonight Coco." The girl glared at him.

"You sure baby?" she purred despite the fact that she looked murderous.

"Go get that shit out of your system," he said his voice lowering in warning.

"Whatever," she said yanking her arm away from him and exiting the living room.

Lexi’s head jerked back to Ramsey’s face. "Sorry about that," he said his voice returning to normal.

"What was that about?" she asked curiosity getting the best of her.

"Just don’t worry about it. She comes here like that all the time. She’s supposed to be clean," he said grasping her h*ps that were now facing him and pulling her close.

The hypnotic feel of intoxication was hitting her hard and she giggled compulsively. "Is her name really Coco?"

"Just a nickname," he said swaying his h*ps in time with her.

She stopped thinking as the next song came on, and focused on dancing in Ramsey’s muscular arms. The music and dancing took her back to times in New York when she was just able to be fun and carefree. Hanging out with Chyna tended to bring out the best in her. Those situations usually involved clubs, and an exorbitant amount of alcohol. No matter how much she drank, she was still the cheapest date of anyone she had ever met. Her tolerance never wavered. She was sloshed after the first drink, and would likely be throwing up if she exceeded five.

As she let her body roll against Ramsey, she focused in on a couple in front of her seductively dancing against the wall. Lexi’s heart rate picked up as she watched. Bekah pushed Jack back against the wall and began to kiss him feverishly. Lexi couldn’t pull her eyes away. She hadn’t even thought of Jack since she had gotten out on the floor with Ramsey. It had been a comfort to forget him, but now here he was…on display. Bekah gripped his h*ps and slid alluringly down his front. She took no care of her tiny skirt as she perched with her head in front of his crotch. Lexi felt as if she were intruding on a very private moment. Had they been alone, Bekah could have been giving him a bl*w j*b their intimacy was so erotic. She watched as Bekah forced herself up and back against him. He moved easily with her as if this were a common motion. Just a transfer of sexual emotion from the bedroom to the dance floor.

Lexi hated to admit it, but they looked good together. It sickened her watching them move together so perfectly…to fit together so perfectly. She could feel alcohol induced tears welling in her eyes. She turned around so fast she knocked into Ramsey, and nearly fell back from impact. He snatched her before she could fall into another person, and looked down upon her terrified face. The tears were threatening to seep out, and that was the last thing she wanted.

He seemed to comprehend that as he bent down to speak into her ear. "Do you want to get some fresh air? I’m kind of suffocating," he admitted, though she knew it was more for her sake.

The crowd parted as he passed through, and he staved off his roommates. Opening the back door, he ushered her out into the humid August air where they were alone. She checked her cheeks and found them dry which was her sole comfort in that entire episode.

"Are you okay?" he asked purposefully giving her enough room to breathe.

Lexi remained silent but nodded. After a few minutes of strained silence, she felt much more composed, and a little extra tipsy from the emotional whirlwind she had just undergone. She breathed out heavily, and leaned her elbows back against the wooden banister. Ramsey scooted over and stood in front of her. She couldn’t help but notice how attractive he looked in the moon light. She smiled at him endearingly.

"It’s good to see that you look better." She shrugged again. The earlier incident, though not out of her mind, was at least momentarily forgotten.

"Thanks. I think I dress up well too," she said biting her lip and staring at him flirtatiously.

"Yeah, well, I think both clothing options work for you," he said taking a step closer to her.

"Well thank you very much. I have to say…" She eyed him up and down. "Both options work for you too." She hiccupped and leaned forward against him as she giggled. "Though, these muscles are much better in your t-shirt."