Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(50)
Author: K.A. Linde

"Shots," she yelled over the music that escalated in the room.

"Do you care what of?"

"Anything but Jack," she stated firmly.

He smirked at her answer and then nodded his head. A minute later two shots were before them. More replaced that round and then another round after that. Lexi melted into Armani Guy as all thoughts seeped out of her mind. The alcohol was taking a toll on her tiny body and she was very pleased with herself for accomplishing her mission so quickly.

"So," she slurred, "what do you do?"

Armani Guy looked at her glazed eyes and leaned in closer to answer her. "Live off a trust right now."

"Oh?" Lexi asked dryly, immediately unimpressed. She never understood why people didn’t work themselves. Who cares if your parents left you a fortune? She one hundred percent believed in making your own way out of life.

"Yeah. Not really my thing, but it helped me when I was in a pinch," he answered shrugging nonchalantly.

"Well what are you doing here Mr. Trust?" she asked giggling at her alcohol infused humor.

"Daddy’s work," he said coldly. "Just trying to get a feel on a guy they’re thinking of interviewing for a job, and he’s in New York. I happened to already be in New York. It was a win-win for them."

"Oh," she said nodding along as if she cared. "Where are you supposed to be meeting this guy?"

"Here, actually. I tend to feel more comfortable in clubs, but he hasn’t showed yet," he said his eyes leaving her for the first time to scan the VIP area one more time. "Guess he got caught up."

Lexi pulled his blue and white striped tie between her fingers and tugged lightly. "Well then it’s your lucky day isn’t it?"

He smiled wide obviously enjoying her advances. "I suppose it is. How’s your ankle? Can you dance on it?"

"It’s just fine." Lexi nodded checking off number two in her head and wondering if Chyna had beat her to it.

Armani Guy pulled her onto the dance floor. Typically with all the years of formal dance and gymnastics training she had, it made it rather difficult to find a good partner. It seemed that she had lucked out with this one. He moved with her perfectly in time with the music. He anticipated her change in direction and would even guide her h*ps to his own rhythm when the music took him. She was starting to get disappointed that she had set the rule that they wouldn’t be taking anyone home. This guy, whoever he was, was actually helping her forget about Jack, and that was a feat in and of itself.

Lexi didn’t know anything about him except that he was obviously wealthy. And though he seemed like a genuinely nice guy, he helped her when he thought she was injured, she simply couldn’t let herself get swept up into an imaginary attraction to someone she just met. That never ended well for her. She needed to take this as far as her drunken brain would allow her. This guy was just like most other men. His chivalry was a reaction to her manipulation into getting free drinks from a wealthy benefactor. He wanted one thing and one thing only. When he realized that she wasn’t willing to give him what he was looking for, and she kept telling herself that she wasn’t, then he would find someone who was. She regularly thought that Prince Charming was right in front of her when she was intoxicated even though she knew there was no way that was the case.

"So do you have plans for the remainder of the evening or do you want to just get out of here?" he questioned into her ear.

She leaned her head back against his chest and swayed to the music. Sure she wanted to leave with him, but she’d promised Chyna. She hadn’t even thought about Chyna for ages which could mean that she had already ditched her for someone else except Chyna was usually good for her word. If she agreed no guys for the night, then she would find Lexi by the end of the night and they would both go home alone. Lexi sighed…both go home alone. She needed to find Chyna. "I’m here with a friend. I can’t leave without her."

He located her much more quickly than she would have been capable of. His height gave him a distinct advantage over Lexi. "Chyna, time to go," Lexi commanded peeling her off of some guy she had locked lips with. Whoever he was didn’t look too pleased, but after seeing Armani Guy he quickly backed off and vacated the premises.

"Alexa," she shrieked, "the love of my life!"

Lexi giggled as Chyna tackled her forcing them both back into Armani Guy hard chest. "Oh excuse us," Chyna trilled batting her long lustrous eyelashes.

"It’s not a problem. I was just helping, Alexa is it, find you," he said smiling politely at Chyna.

"Ohhhh," she said her eyes moving from Lexi back to Armani Guy. "Well thank you for that. She’s hardly ever able to find me on her own."

"So she told me."

"Well it is time for me to go," Chyna said faking a yawn. "I guess I should check out. I’m sure you can find your own way home, right chica?"

Lexi knew this act. She was playing like she was going to leave so that Lexi could make a safe exit home. It also meant that Chyna approved of her choice. "Can you excuse us for a minute?" she asked Armani Guy. As he nodded, she yanked Chyna out of earshot from him. "No guys remember?"

"Yeah but did you see that Armani suit?" she asked her eyeing leaving Lexi’s and glancing back at his build.

"Yes I did," she said snapping at her to get her attention back on her.

"Did you see those muscles?"

"Yes I did," Lexi growled.

"Did you see the way his green eyes blazed at the sight of you?" she purred.

"Chyna, cut it out. I saw, but it’s a girl’s night. I can hook up with him another night."

"You are insane, but I love you!" she exclaimed planting a drunken kiss on Lexi’s lips.

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Yes I know dear."

"Just for the record, I think you should go for it."

"Well I’m not going to. Some other time," she said as she turned towards Armani Guy. "Sorry we have to get out of here."

"We?" he asked incredulously. She pointed between her and Chyna and his face transformed at the realization that she was going to leave without him. He’d put in all that work for nothing. She could tell he wasn’t pleased. They’d hit it off, but she wasn’t ready to go home with him yet. Not tonight at least.

"Sorry. I know you have that meeting," she quickly improvised. "Maybe we can meet up some other time."

"Well I’m leaving the city tomorrow, but maybe I could get your number and the next time I’m in town we can meet up."

Chyna grumbled something in her ear, but she swatted her away not wanting to hear her voice of reason. Of course she should go home with this guy, but that really wasn’t going to help her tonight. Even through her intoxication, she was thinking more clearly then her best friend. She was too drunk at this point to go home with this guy and even though he helped her forget Jack, which was always a positive, he wasn’t sticking around anyway. In Chyna’s world, that was all the more reason to go home with him. Lexi felt differently about the subject. So she quickly punched her digits into his Blackberry and then dragged Chyna to the door.

As they drove back to Lexi’s dorm, Chyna kept staring at Lexi in dismay. "I don’t want to hear one word," Lexi said pointing her finger in Chyna’s direction.

Chyna pulled a zipper across her lips, but raised her eyebrows in further disapproval. A few minutes later as they entered the dorm, Chyna couldn’t hold it any longer. "You should have gone with him."

Lexi giggled. "Yeah I probably should have, but there will be other guys and other nights."

Chyna scooted closer to Lexi as they reached the top of the stairs and began walking down the stained hallway Chyna had been so uneasy about earlier that afternoon. "Yeah, but he was delicious."

Lexi giggled again. "Yeah I guess he was."

"I hope he calls you though."

"I doubt he will," Lexi said coming to a stop in front of the door and fumbling for her keys.

Lexi pushed the door open and immediately veered towards the bedroom. Chyna shut the door behind her and walked towards the lumpy couch. She plopped down allowing her aching feet a reprise from their tormentors. Just as her butt hit the cushion, she jumped up screaming in terror at the realization that whatever she just sat on was not a cushion. And now it was moving. Chyna jumped up and down in fear, but unable to move her feet to carry her away from the unknown person.

Lexi darted back out of the room sobering up as soon as she heard the blood-curdling cry echo throughout the apartment. "Chyna what is it?" she cried unsure what she would find. Lexi gasped in surprise at what appeared to be someone rising from the dead. The figure’s head hung limp and arms were stretched out in front like Frankenstein’s monster. A low menacing moan escaped the person. Just then the figure’s head snapped to sideways as Chyna slammed a pillow into the side of his head. Lexi rushed back to the front door, latching on to the handle in the event that they need to make a run for it, and flicking on the dorm light.

Chyna brought the pillow viscously back down on the intruder several more time before a yell escaped the person who was sitting there. "Oww, stop that."

"Get out of here! You can’t take our stuff!" Chyna screamed smacking him across the face another time.

"I’m here to see Lexi, Goddamn. Chill out," the intruder cried shielding himself from Chyna’s assault.

"Chyna stop," Lexi demanded her feet frozen in place as she stared onwards. Chyna paused mid-swing and then brought the pillow back down to her side. She glanced back at Lexi in confusion. The intruder looked to where she had spoken ignoring the possibility of another attack. Lexi’s throat caught at the sight. "This is Jack."

"Jack. Jack Jack. You mean the Jack?" Chyna asked stumbling on the name.

Lexi nodded. "Yeah."

"Well then," she mumbled tossing the pillow onto the loveseat, "guess that’s my cue. Sorry." She walked to Lexi and gave her a quick hug whispering into her ear, "Let me know if you need anything sweetie," before retiring to Lexi’s door room.

"Jack, what are you doing here? How did you get inside? How did you know where I was?" she asked letting loose a string of questions that had flown through her head at the sight of him.

He just stared her in awe. He stared at her like he’d never seen her before. He stared at her like she was his lifejacket and he was sinking.

"Jack," she whispered the earlier memories that she had briefly escaped were clouding her vision once more.

He stood quickly and scooped her into his arms. "I’ve missed you so much," he whispered sweetly into her ear.

Goosebumps cascaded up her arms as they circled his neck. "I’ve missed you too," she admitted.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes breathing her in. "I’m sorry."

"For what?" She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She felt like she was so drunk that perhaps she had passed out and was dreaming about Jack being here.

"Don’t ask that. I’m sorry for everything. I ended it with Kate. All I saw was you when I looked at her."

"Me."