Avoiding Responsibility (35 page)

"I didn't really convince you," he reminded her filling a mug with black coffee and bringing it over to her.

"You didn't object to it either." She took the mug from him regardless and took a long swig. The coffee hit her immediately and though she wasn't feeling well by a long shot it did help her to feel more awake and alive.

"I didn't know I was supposed to," he said taking a seat next to her.

Lexi sighed heavily and shook her head. "You didn't think there was anything you should warn me about before sending me off with them? Nothing?" she turned and looked at him carefully.

He could tell that his answer was going to be closely examined. No matter what he said he was probably in trouble for something. "What are you talking about?" he asked staring down into her angry brown eyes. She looked gorgeous to him despite his concerns. There was just something about her when she was mad. She had such fiery passion and it just lit her up.

Lexi sighed and scooted away from him. "You can't think of anything?" she repeated.

"If there is something I should know, please just tell me."

"You slept with Maddie," she spat unable to hold back any longer. She shoved his shoulder, not moving his rock solid body an inch, and stormed off to the kitchen. She set her mug down on the counter and braced her body. She had moved a bit too quickly and she was feeling dizzy.

Ramsey cursed under his breath, but followed her. "Lexi."

After she regained her balance, she spoke up. "No Ramsey, I just don't even want to think about it right now," she muttered resting her hands on the cool marble countertops and taking several heavy breaths. She knew that it didn't matter that he had slept with her. She wasn't even actually pissed that it had happened. She was just pissed that he hadn't warned her. Bekah used every trick in the book to destroy her. How had he not thought to tell her that one? Then she wouldn't have had to be surprised and look like an idiot.

And what had happened two weeks ago? Had Maddie really given him a blow job in the bathroom? Had any of that been true? It was hard to even contemplate.

"Lexi that was a really long time ago. She was in college when that happened," he told her trying to be reassuring. "I don't know why they brought it up, but it has nothing to do with you. I was in a rough place in my life. You know that. I used to…sleep with everyone. I'm not that person anymore."

"What about two weeks ago?" Lexi asked whirling around to face him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked scrunching his brows together.

"The blow job in the bathroom," she said reminding him leaning back against the counter top to steady herself. "Why didn't you tell me? I don't care who you slept with or what happened. I mean we weren't together, but you knew I'd be around her."

"Nothing happened two weeks ago," he said quickly. "She got with someone else and I almost kicked her out of the club. I didn't do anything with her or anyone else when you were gone. All I could think about was you."

"Then why did they tell me that?" she asked angrily. "Why didn't you tell me about your history with her?"

"I don't know why they decided to tell you that lie, and I had no idea they were going to bring up my history with her," he volleyed back. "It's not like I was…trying to hide it from you. It's history for a reason."

"What about Parker being a bridesmaid?" she whispered into the open space. Her stomach had dropped at the mention of that bit of information. She had had to act like she didn't care about that for an entire evening. She had to parade around in Parker's clothes and follow the orders of four blonde bimbos. Surely he could have thought that worth noting.

"Oh," was all he managed.

Lexi waited a second expecting more explanation that just…oh. When he didn't say anything else, she just shook her head forlornly. "Is that what I am? Just a fill in for Parker?" she asked staring deep into his green eyes full of repentance. He was shaking his head, but she couldn't stop there. "Do you want to just fuck me in front of all your friends like you did at that bonfire? Because all you seem to be doing is fucking me over Ramsey."

He seemed unable to control himself after she finished her reprimand. He dove forward and claimed her lips for his own smashing her backwards into the marble countertop. She gasped as he willed a response out of her lips. It didn't take long before she was breathless as he kissed her senseless. His hands pushed up in her long flowing hair before moving to roam her body. He hoisted her up and set up on the counter top so he could get closer to her.

"I want you," he breathed between kisses. "Just you Lexi. Please let me have you. I have missed you so much."

Lexi could feel her body reacting to his demands. She wanted him so bad. She just wanted to give in to him and forget everything else. "I missed you too," she murmured as he began kissing down her neck.

"Good. Good," he said struggling to unbutton her shorts.

"But I can't do this," she said stilling his hands.

"Why not?" he begged and pleaded with his eyes as they met her determined brown ones.

"I don't want this to be out of anger," she said dropping her eyes to the ground. "Let's get through the rest of the week…and then go from here."

"Please Lexi, you're all I want," he said letting his hands rest on her thighs.

She let out a deep breath unable to believe that she was turning down sex. "I want to do this, but not for this reason Ramsey." He sighed heavily and rested his head against her shoulder leaving a kiss on her there.

"Just know, I'm yours whenever you want me," he said pushing his lips against hers one more time.

K.A. Linde

Nothing compares, no worries or cares

Regrets and mistakes, they are memories made.

Who would have known

How bittersweet this would taste?

- Adele "Someone Like You"

Chapter 18: June Two Months Earlier

"Whatever you're doing, stop it," Brandon Calloway said brushing her feet off of the side of his desk. He leaned forward and stared down at the stack of papers before him. His computer had been shoved off to the side with the display revealing a swimming fish screen saver.

"I'm not doing anything," Kace stated coyly letting her kitten heels demurely fall back against the cream carpeted floor.

"I don't have time for this," he said scratching his head as he leafed through the pages before him. "I'm too busy. This needs to be done by the end of the day."

Kace leaned forward the pearl button of her navy blouse popping open as she adjusted herself towards him. Her voluptuous figure was revealed over the top of the lacy white bra underneath. "What's gotten into you?" she purred.

Brandon was easily diverted from his paperwork as he whole-heartily stared at what was being displaying for his viewing pleasure. "Shit," he murmured his eyes taking in the full-bodied woman before him.

"I mean I thought you wanted me," she said straightening slightly and adjusting her blouse. Her breasts bounced up and down merrily as she jostled her body.

Brandon devoured the intentional movements she was making and was kicking himself for not jumping on that…again. "I want you," he growled stilling his fingers on the stack of papers.

"It doesn't look like it," Kace said brushing her brown hair off her shoulders. "I'm using my break to come see you and you haven't stopped staring at those papers yet."

"I'm looking at you now," he said pointedly.

"I just don't know what's gotten into you lately," she said crossing one leg over the other and letting her light brown eyes meet his own.

Brandon pushed his chair back from the desk and stood. "Nothing's gotten into me," he said taking a slow step towards her.

She tilted her head up to stare into his face. "You used to take me at every chance you got."

"You used to fend me off," he countered arching an eyebrow.

Kace shrugged. "Fighting you was fun, but giving in was better so I just gave up," she said biting down on her plump bottom lip as he approached her. "What am I just a chase for you?"

"I like to chase you," he stated easily, "but I have a promotion in my prospects," he angled his body directly in front her chair, "and I'm trying not to screw that up." He slid his hands forward along the armrests leaning down towards her. Her breathing hitched slightly as his lips neared her.

"By not screwing me?" she asked. Her eyes were locked on his lips which were poised only inches away from her.

He smirked at her forward statement unable to believe how easily she was eating out of the palm of his hand. "By not getting distracted."

"And I," she began letting her hand run up the inside leg of his pants, "distract you?"

He jumped slightly in surprise as her hand moved farther north. "Yes," he choked out feeling his body react to her touch.

"I like distracting you," she murmured huskily wetting her lips as he watched.

He was so close to her that when she arched her back her body pushed up against his chest. He quickly circled his arms around her midsection and pulled her off of the chair. She gasped as the momentum threw her body up against him. Her feet just barely touched the ground. She threw her head back her face a mask of surprise. He smirked again before bending forward to kiss her waiting lips. Kace moaned lightly into his mouth as he darted his tongue inside. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in deeper.

A knock on his office door sent Kace jumping back a step out of his grasp. He tilted his head at her curiously. She quickly brushed out her wrinkled clothing. "Were you expecting someone?" she asked eyeing him closely.

He shook his head his mind still on the kiss that was clearly leading somewhere else. "I don't have to get it," he said closing the space between them and letting his hands run down her sides.

She melted into his touch a slow devious smile appearing on her face. "That's a good idea," she said pressing her lower half against him more firmly.

He let his mouth drop to her lips once more. She groaned into his lips and pushed her fingers up into his chestnut brown hair.

"Brandon?" someone called as they knocked on the door a second time. "I know you're in there."

Kace pulled back from him and stared at him curiously. "I thought you weren't expecting anyone," she murmured her eyes still fiery with desire.

"I wasn't. I don't know who that is," he said looking towards the door with curiosity.

"Do you
have
to answer it?" she asked reminding him just what he would be missing by allowing an interruption.

He sighed as her hand pushed up against the front of his pants. "Dammit," he grumbled taking a step back. Kace smirked as he pulled away knowing that was the last thing he wanted to do, and that he would quickly dismiss whoever was waiting. Reluctantly, Brandon crossed his office and pulled open the door. A surprised smile broke across his face as he realized who was on the other side.

"Hey pookie," Lexi said sauntering into his office uninvited. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Kace. "Uh hey how's it going?" she asked awkwardly realizing she couldn't exactly backtrack from that statement. To an outsider that easy nickname could easily be construed improperly.

"Just fine," she said crossing her arms over her chest, sinking into one hip, and looking at Brandon pointedly.

"Uh Kace you remember Lexi right?" he asked gesturing between the two women.

Her eyes traveled back to Lexi examining her closely before answering. "Don't you date Ramsey Bridges?" Kace asked an accusatory inflection in her voice.

Lexi smiled brightly at the mention of her boyfriend. Just thought of him made her burst with excitement. She was certain that much was evident on her face. "Yeah I do."

"Uh huh," Kace replied glancing conspiratorially between the two.

Lexi knew that this looked bad. She had clearly walked in on something unintentionally and now was just making the situation look worse. Brandon was a known womanizer. Lexi had heard just such information straight out of Kace's mouth one time. She knew the suspicions were likely warranted on Brandon's end. Luckily no one knew anything about her or else the suspicions would be even more heightened.

Brandon cursed himself for the interruption. This scene wouldn't play out well if it got out that he had been seen alone with either woman. Ramsey already had a vendetta against him, and Kace worked in the top office. Any information leak would be damaging to that promotion he was so looking forward to.

"Well Kace it's been nice…as always," Brandon said attempting damage control. "We can finish what we started later yes?"

"You're kicking me out?" she gasped in surprise. Her light brown eyes widened in surprise and her mouth popped open slightly.

Lexi grimaced at what she had walked in on and took a hesitant step backwards. "I didn't mean to come at a bad time," she stuttered out quickly. "I can always come back later and we can discuss that paperwork then if you want." She knew her damage control sounded just as forced as his.

Brandon examined her closely. "Paperwork?" Her eyes bulged open as she attempted to signal him to shut the fuck up. "Right paperwork. Yeah you should probably come back for that."

"Not necessary," Kace interjected. "I see that our…meeting is over anyway."

"Kace," he pleaded.

"No, no, I see that you have other business to attend to," she said striding across the office and brushing past Lexi.

"It's really not like that," Lexi responded hurriedly.

Kace gave her a sad smile. "Of course not. It never is with Brandon," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Kace," he growled grasping her elbow and yanking her towards him. She gasped as she was flung into his arms. He bent down and claimed her lips in a deep kiss. When he released her, the earlier anger in her eyes had dissipated. "I'll see you later."

"Yes. Later," she responded dreamily as she exited the office. He toed the door closed behind her and turned back to his desk.

Lexi sighed and followed him taking the unoccupied chair next to his desk. "Sorry."

"You can't call ahead of time like a normal person?" he grumbled leafing back through the papers he had been dealing with before Kace's interruption.

Lexi shrugged helplessly. "I didn't know you'd have…company."

"Assume away," he said waving a dismissive hand.

"Anyway, lunch?" she asked a bright smile crossing her face.

He sighed staring down at the stack of papers on his desk. "If I keep having lunch with you people are going to think you've put me in the friend zone," he murmured practically quoting a line out of Just Friends.

"You are in the friend zone," she said with a giggle. "You have been for a couple weeks and it's seemed to work out just fine. Anyway everyone knows that I'm living with Ramsey. You're the only one who seems not to care about that."

"I'm not the only one," he murmured. "Just the only one who will admit it." He glanced back up at her flirtatiously a smirk appearing on his lips.

Lexi shrugged again nonchalantly as if she had been through this conversation before…and she had. "Doesn't matter that you admit it. I'm still with Ramsey," she said certainly.

He set the papers aside, leaned back in his administrative chair, and stared at her. "And where is your man today?" he asked.

"He's working," she told him with a faint sigh at the end.

"Ahh," he murmured, "Too busy to take his girlfriend to lunch?"

"Stop goading me Brandon. He's not used to anyone being around. We had a long distance relationship for quite some time, and he can't just quit his job to have lunch with me every day. Since you work a 9to5, you have no trouble in being constantly available especially since you don't have a girlfriend."

"I would if you would let me take someone else to lunch," he spat back playfully.

"You know there's nowhere else you'd rather be," she said. "So come on. I want sushi today and it's your turn to pay."

"Fine," he grumbled only half frustrated by the situation.

The two had managed to develop quite a friendship just as Lexi had predicted that night out on Ramsey's balcony. Brandon, of course, never failed to shamelessly flirt and throw himself at Lexi, but she easily deflected his advances. They had an easy banter, and found that they had more in common than originally anticipated. When they both let their guards down, they found that they really enjoyed each other's company. He wasn't exactly a substitute for Chyna, for no one could really replace her best friend, but he was a nice change in the mean time.

Ramsey didn't approve of the relationship as he had made clear time and time again. But with Ramsey's continual absence, Lexi had to find a way to kill time outside of her job. He wasn't always around when she was at home, but the time they spent together was cherished by both. Lexi was certain that the decision to move in with him had been an accurate one at this point. Even though he was so busy, it was better to have the couple hours a week together then to have the distance to separate them.

Lexi paused in the doorway as her cell phone jingled in her purse. "Sorry," she mumbled fumbling with the latch on her purse. "Mom, hey, it's not the best time. I'm about to go to lunch," Lexi spoke quickly into her phone. The sobbing that penetrated through the receiver stopped Lexi in her tracks. "Mom, are you alright? Is everything alright? What happened? Calm down. Calm down. Tell me what happened," Lexi spoke urgently her heart beating out of her chest with fear. Panic gripped her and she latched onto Brandon as he approached. Upon seeing her stricken face, he ushered her back into his office.

"It's your father," her mother gasped through her tears.

"Dad?" Lexi moaned in terror. "What happened to dad?" Brandon rested his arm around her shoulder for support as her body seemed to be collapsing under the weight of the impending news.

"Honey, he had a heart attack," she cried out. She hiccupped a couple times into the phone a sure sign, Lexi knew, of an onset of hyperventilation.

Lexi felt a tear run down her cheek and then another one followed. She couldn't stop them from tumbling relentlessly out of her eyes. "Is he okay?" she could barely get out.

Another round of sobbing came through the line. "I don't know. I don't know. I just…don't know."

"Where is he? Did you call an ambulance?" Lexi asked taking the side of the parental figure and demanding the details.

"He went into the city for some consulting work," she sobbed. "He had been complaining that his shoulder and chest hurt, but we just didn't think anything of it. He always has chest pains. Luckily someone was around when he collapsed. They picked up the call and told me they were calling 911." She paused for another round of fitful tears. Lexi had never quite heard her mother in such a state. "They took him to Grady. It'll take me too long to get there, but I'm on my way. Please go and tell me he's alright. Tell me I haven't lost my George."

"I'm on my way now mom. I love you. I'll call you from the hospital," Lexi told her before hanging up.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Brandon asked having heard everything through the line.

"No," Lexi said swiping at her face. "I just…I can drive."

"Are you sure?" he asked grasping both of her shoulders in his hands and staring deep in her tear streaked face. She nodded helplessly. He pulled her into a brief comforting hug. "Call me if you need anything," he told her. She nodded again and then quickly left his office.

She pulled her phone back out as soon as she was out of the elevator. Her first instinct was to call Ramsey. She knew he was busy working, but she needed to speak with him. Hopefully he would be available. Sometimes when he got so into work, he completely forgot all else including to check his phone. She pressed the speed dial number for his phone, listened to it ring four times before going to voicemail.