Dangerous Exes (Page 4)

Anger burned through my chest, making it hard to swallow. “It’s all the same with you power-hungry celebrities, isn’t it? If life isn’t perfect. If you aren’t on top, if the cereal isn’t perfectly alphabetized just in case someone takes a picture of your freaking pantry and sends it to TMZ for the world to see what an OCD freak you are!”

He growled low in his throat, his teeth snapped together. “That has nothing to do with this.”

“It has everything to do with this,” I said softly. “You want something back, something you think has been wrongfully taken from you, by me, but I think if you look at the facts you’ll see that being on top only means one thing—”

“Oh yeah?” he snarled. “What’s that, Isla?”

“There’s always further to fall when you aren’t the golden boy anymore,” I said softly, reaching out and touching his hand on instinct, because it’s what I did in my sessions with clients, because it’s what I did when I put my heart into things I had no business putting my heart into.

He stared at our touching hands as a tether of awareness slithered through my fingers like he’d just caressed me.

A few seconds went by, both of us staring down.

I would have been happy to spend the rest of the lunch trying to figure out why my skin tingled.

Except a whiny voice interrupted. “You sure move on fast.”

I pulled my hand away and stared up in horror as Jessie’s ex glared at both of us with disdain then looped her arm through her poor date’s arm.

My ex-fiancé.

Wayne.

It was suddenly hard to breathe.

Hard to think.

“Hi, Isla.” He grinned like he owned me, like he was seeing my naked body respond to his touch, like he had a right to look beyond my clothes.

I felt my entire body pale.

And then Jessie’s hand was on mine again, not soft, but firm. He gripped it tight and then glanced up at Wayne and said the unthinkable. “Who exactly are you?”

I wanted to groan.

I wanted to throw myself off a cliff.

Or maybe just crawl under the table and hide from his leering eyes.

Wayne’s smile was still in place, but it was fake. I knew that smile, I’d been on the receiving end of it more times than I could count. He was pissed that Jessie didn’t recognize him.

“Wayne Alvillar.” He held out his hand.

Vanessa beamed. “He just directed the last action series to make over half a million in a weekend! We’re out celebrating!”

I just bet they were.

Stomach suddenly queasy, I tried to keep my posture perfect, my smile in place, my eyes from watering down my cheeks.

“Huh.” Jessie looked so comfortable, so normal. “Doesn’t ring a bell.” He shrugged. “Then again, I’m more of a stay-at-home-and-watch-old-movies sort of guy, right, baby?”

He was looking at me.

I was baby.

He had no idea how much he was saving me.

I played right into it, leaning toward his hand and winking. “My favorite thing to do with you.” I scrunched up my nose. “Okay, maybe top five, you know what number one is.”

He laughed, and then I swear his eyes smoldered. “Don’t I ever . . .”

My stomach dropped to my knees, damn it, that smolder, damn it to hell!

“We were just going, lost track of time.” Jessie stood, threw a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill onto the table, making my eyes widen briefly before he grabbed my purse, handed it to me, wrapped his arm around me then called over his shoulder, “Have a great lunch.”

We walked out of the restaurant with heads held high.

Unfortunately I was parked on the other side, and they were immediately seated in the outside patio where they could see us.

“Still watching,” I said under my breath while Jessie turned me around in his arms and dragged his mouth over my surprised lips.

He tasted like lemon water and spice.

It had been so long.

So damn long since I’d been kissed that well.

Maybe ever.

I clung to the front of his shirt, the combination of heat from his skin and bulging pec muscles was enough to give any sane woman a stroke at thirty-three.

He placed his hands on either side of my face, gently guiding the kiss, stroking his tongue along mine like he’d been doing it for years.

When we broke apart, his chest was heaving.

And I was leaning too close, like I didn’t want him to stop.

He kissed me again.

Then grabbed my hand and walked me to my car.

Of course he knew where it was parked.

I sighed as he pushed me up against the door, my eyes flickered to Vanessa and Wayne, both glancing our way still.

Jessie’s eyes met mine as he cupped my face. “You know him?”

I nodded as tears filled my eyes.

Jessie pressed his body against mine. “He still staring?”

I nodded again, afraid if I spoke I’d blurt out the whole horrible story and then get snot stains on his shirt. I’d never worked past it. I didn’t want to. I figured if I did, I’d lose all the anger that kept me going on a daily basis, the anger that helped me have perfect focus on my job.

Jessie’s forehead touched mine as he left one last lingering kiss on my lips and whispered in my ear, “This isn’t over.”

“Stop stalking me,” I whispered back, ducking my head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

“You’re a good kisser, Isla.” He tilted my chin toward him. “But it’s not enough—I will shut you down, that I promise.”

He walked off leaving me hot, breathless, and pissed.

I opened my car door and tossed my purse in the opposite seat, then pressed my fingertips against my lips and cursed the universe for doing the impossible. Making me feel alive again—by way of my enemy.

Chapter Four

JESSIE

I motioned to the bartender, who just happened to be my best friend, and sat on one of the stools.

He jerked his chin in my direction then went and grabbed me a pilsner. He knew me well. I drank whiskey because it appeared more refined, I drank beer because I actually liked it.

And today.

Today I needed it.

I could still taste her.

Two protein shakes. A Snickers bar. A piece of beef jerky, and now beer, and I could still taste Satan on my lips.

It sparked a memory I’d kept shoved into the furthest recesses of my mind. I battled that memory like a soldier every fucking day—because I could still smell her when I thought of it.

I could still feel her.

I could taste her in the air.

“You make me depressed.” Isla plopped down next to me at the bar at the resort we were staying at. My ex-wife just got on a plane, my best friend was currently screwing my ex-girlfriend Blaire, and I was getting drunk.

That, at least, was the plan.

Isla elbowed me. “Come on, let’s do something crazy.”

“Says the crazy person.” I took another shot of Jack.

She scrunched up her nose. “If you don’t say yes I’m just going to pester you until you do.”

“Charming.” I finally glanced over at her, she was wearing a low-cut black dress that fell loosely around her lithe body. I was having a hell of a time looking away from the teardrop necklace that kept bouncing between her two perfect breasts.

“Eyes up here.” She grinned and then held out her hand. “Come on, we’re doing this.”

“I never agreed to—”