Scarred (Damaged Souls) (19 page)

As they walked Lexi fel
t a chill run down her spine. It felt as if she were being watched. She hoped that it was just her imagination. As well as prayed that it wasn’t Sloan trying to keep an eye on her.

They stopped in front of a red brick building with a line out the door and the sounds of intimate music pouring out the door with the crowd. Both Aaron and Tony hugged and slapped the back of the giant doorman with familiarity. Apparently the guys knew him well because next thing she knew, they were being let in in front of the disgruntled crowd giving them the stink eye.

Aaron put his hand possessively on Lexi’s lower back as he guided her into the dark lounge. They followed Tony and Dom to the bar and Aaron leaned down to whisper in Lexi’s ear.

“Wh
at would you like to drink, Lex?” He asked, lips grazing the shell of her ear.

“Um, a dirty martini, I guess.” Lexi responded with a shiver, positive that he had done it on purpose.

“Ah, fancy. ‘Shaken not stirred’, I’m taking it?” Aaron joked.

“Well I’m not James Bond, so either way, I’m good.” Lexi smirked at him.

The men got their drinks and they headed over to the sitting area around the perimeter of the packed dance floor. Miraculously they were able to find an available curved red overstuffed couch.

“We come here all the time. It’s a great place.” Aaron whispered loudly in her ear, trying to talk over the loud live band.

“I could tell by the way we got in right away, despite the death stares we got from the people waiting in line.” Lexi commented.

“Yeah, that’s our buddy, Big Smooth.
We’ve known him since college. He’s like a permanent fixture here.” Aaron told her.

“I’m sure he keeps people in line out of pure fear. That man is a beast!
” Lexi laughed a little, picturing the big man carrying out unruly men by the scruff of their necks.

“Very true. He’s even kicked us out a time or two. Big Smooth doesn’t take shit from anyone.” Aaron smiled and then reached up a hand to brush back her soft hair from her cheek.

Lexi looked away bashfully, not wanting to be rude, but not wanting to lead him on either. She liked him well enough as a friend, but nothing more.

Dom and Tony got up and headed towards the dance floor. The gorgeous couple could’ve set fire to the lounge with their moves. The way they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, Lexi assumed that their sex life was a pretty healthy one. And in that moment while watching them all she wanted to do was go home to Sloan. She yearned for him unlike anything she’d experienced before with a man.

“Dance with me?” Aaron asked sincerely.

“Oh
okay.” Lexi stuttered out, resigning herself to stay for a little while longer.

Aaron took her hand and guided her to the dance floor. He spun her out and then back to him and then placed his hands on her ample hips. It took all her inner strength not to cringe away from his touch.

She placed her hands safely on his biceps, a silent signal to keep his distance. Aaron led her around the dance floor smoothly. Spinning her out and back a couple of times and tried to pull her in closer each time, but Lexi wasn’t budging.

“You’re locked
up tighter than a bank vault. Just relax, I swear I’m not going to take advantage. I can be a gentleman.” Aaron coaxed her.

Wrapping his fingers around her wrists, Aaron brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders. He slid his hands down her arms and her sides, back to rest on her wide hips and pulled her closer till her body was nearly flush against his.

Lexi could feel his heat and semi-hard erection against her stomach. Her heart started to pound. Her breathing became labored. And her skin broke out in a thin cold sweat from head to toe. It felt like she could crawl out of her skin from the intimate contact.

Lexi quickly pulled out of his arms and rushed blindly to the bathroom, Aaron calling after her in worry. Luckily there was no line to the ladies room and Lexi rushed in. With shaky hands she pulled several paper towels from the dispenser and wet them with cold water. She pressed the cool towels to her face, neck and chest trying to calm her frazzled nerves.

Dom came bursting into the bathroom to check on her.

“Are you alright? Aaron said you freaked out and ran in here.” Dom asked in concern.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I…I just have issues with being touched sometimes. So dancing was a little too much for me.” Lexi answered as honestly as she could for the time being.

“Oh, I didn’t know. I kne
w that something must have happened to you in your past, to be so closed off. I didn’t realize the extent of it and I’m so sorry for pushing you.” Dom apologized.

“It’s okay. I know you meant well.” Lexi comforted Dom.

“I really did. But what about this guy you say you’re seeing? Have you let him get close?” Dom asked curiously.

“Yeah. Though I don’t know now, he’s not happy that I’m here tonight.” Lexi admitted.

“But if you can let him in, can’t you with others too?” Dom asked not understanding.

“He’s damaged too. He gets me. Understands me.” Lexi explained.

“Oh I see. Makes sense I guess.”  Dom nodded.

“So I know you and Tony are having a great time and I don’t want to ruin that, but I am ready to go home now. You both can stay. I just need Aaron to drop me off.” Lexi said feeling guilty for bailing on them.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. We still had a good time. I’ll go tell Aaron to bring the car around, you just take a minute to get yourself together.” Dom offered kindly.

“Thanks Dom.

~~~

Lexi walked out the club a few minutes later and Aaron was outside waiting in the car. He got out and opened the passenger side door for her and she got in gratefully.

“I’m so sorry, Aaron. I didn’t mean to get crazy on you.” Lexi said when he slid back into the driver’s seat.

“It’s okay. I should’ve respected your boundaries when you clearly had already given them. It’s my fault.” Aaron apologized.

They rode the rest of the way back to her house in relative silence. Luckily the drive wasn’t too long. Aaron pulled into the driveway once again behind the Mustang and put the car in park. He got out of the car and walked around to open her door again and helped her out.

The moment she was steady on her feet, Aaron released her hand, learning throughout the night that she didn’t like to be touched. They walked side by side up to the front door.

“I’d really like to see you again, Lexi. If that’s okay with you?” Aaron asked softly, showing shyness for the first time all night.

“Uh…Aaron…I’
m really sorry, but right as Dom was setting up our double date, I met someone. I…I don’t know if it’ll go anywhere, but I think I owe it to him to give it a shot.” Lexi said looking down at her feet.

Aaron lifted her chin with a gentle finger.

“I understand. And he’s lucky to have you. He just better hold on tight, because there might be someone waiting on the sidelines for him to mess it up.” Aaron smiled down at her sadly.

“Thanks, Aaron.” Lexi smiled back.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek.

“See ya around.” Aaron said as he turned to head back to his car.

“Bye.” Lexi said to his back.

Aaron got in his car, lifted his hand in goodbye and backed out of the driveway. Lexi watched as his taillights disappeared around the corner.

Chapter 15

“A Beautiful Mess”

Lexi found her spare key in her handbag and unlocked the door. The house was dark and too quiet.

“Sloan.” Lexi called out, but heard no response.

First she climbed the stairs to see if he was still working up there. She walked into her bedroom and flipped on the light. The room was empty. Turning to walk out, Lexi noticed several fist-sized holes in the wall next to the big dome window. Her heart broke at the sight knowing that Sloan must have watched her and Aaron leave for the date and went into a rage.

She shut the light
off and went back downstairs in search of Sloan, desperate to find him. She called out his name a few more times, flipping on lights as she went, but there was still not so much as a pin drop. She walked to the back of the house to check if he was on the back porch, enjoying the relatively cool evening. He wasn’t there either.

Her eyes starting to tingle at the first sign of tears, Lexi blinked her eyelids rapidly trying to stop the waterworks from starting.
Did he leave? Did I hurt him so badly that he’s not coming back?

Lexi sat on one of the folding chairs on the porch, trying to get her panic under control. She looked up and a strange light caught her eye. Standing up quickly and squinting to try and get a better look, Lexi realized that there was definitely light coming from farther back in the yard, beyond the gazebo.

Opening the screen door to the porch, Lexi walked down the steps and started towards the light curiously. As she walked around the gazebo and could fully see where the light was coming from she froze, a small gasp escaping her lips.

In front of her was the most romantic and enchanting sight she’d ever seen. The weeping willow
had a golden glow radiating from the inside out. Walking steadily closer to the luminous tree, Lexi could see that there were about fifteen to twenty small Mason jars suspended from the branches of the tree by ribbons of all different colors that were tied to the metal wire handles around them. And inside each Mason jar was one small tea light candle. The soft glow of each candle combined to light up the entire tree behind the leafy vines.

Reaching out a trembling hand, Lexi pulled back the vines to see Sloan and Tank laying on the quilted blanket. She was sure that Tank had probably heard her come home, but since he knew it was her, he hadn’t alerted Sloan to her presence, because Sloan was laying on his back, hands behind his head looking up at the jars as the light danced across his face. Lexi’s eyes filled with tears at the thoughtful gesture he had done for her, when she didn’t deserve it.

Hearing her movements, Sloan quickly looked up. When his eyes focused on her tear filled eyes, he sat up straight but said nothing. Lexi stepped inside the little romantic hideaway, letting the green vines fall back into place like a curtain. She lifted each foot and slipped off her strappy wedge sandals and then walked onto the blanket.

She placed her feet on either side of Sloan’s thighs and lowered herself till she was sitting in his lap. She looked at him wi
th shining green eyes, illuminated more by the candles. She clasped his wrist and lifted his left hand to her chest and placed it flat against her pounding heart.

“I love you, Sloan.” Lexi confessed, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Sloan eyes widened in shock. He went to speak, but before he could she placed a finger over his mouth.

“I…I don’t know what that means or if it’ll work. I’m still scared that if we become serious that it’ll ruin everything. I’m still scared that someday I’ll do something that pisses you off and you’ll hit me.” Sloan shook his head. “No, Sloan. I saw what you did to the bedroom wall. It could happen. But I
do
know how you make me feel. I
do
know that you’ve treated me with nothing but respect so far. And I
do
know that I love you and think it’s at least worth giving it a try.” Lexi said honestly.

“I promise you, I’ll never hurt you. I love you too much to ruin one beautiful hair on your head, Alexis.” Sloan vowed vehemently.

Lexi brought her hands up to cup his face, caressing her thumbs over his cheeks. They looked at each other in silence for a moment, their eyes glowing with love. Lexi lowered her face to his and kissed him softly on his firm full lips. Sloan instantly opened up for her and their tongues danced intimately.

Sloan slid his hands down her sides and down her thighs over the dress. Reaching the hem he went under the dress
and glided his hands back up her thick thighs to her delicate little panties.

“I’m sorry.” Sloan whispered against her lips.

“For what?” Lexi pulled back a little confused.

“For this.” Sloan said as he ripped away her panties in one strong tug.

“Oh! Um…I don’t want you to do that all the time because I’d have no panties left, but that was hot!” Lexi exclaimed, suddenly on fire from the caveman move.

Sloan licked her bottom lip in response and she rubbed her bare womanhood against the bulge in his jeans. They both gasped in answer to the wonderful sensation of being together again.

Lexi lifted her hips off of his lap and quickly undid his pants. Together they awkwardly shimmied them down his legs. After they had successfully shed him of his pants, Lexi made quick work of lifting his shirt over his head. And reaching down underneath her skirt, Lexi clasped his thick shaft in her hand and rubbed the tip against her slick labia. Once he was drenched with her sweet essence she positioned him at her entrance and slid down slowly over his hard steel.

They both threw back their heads and gasped. Lexi began to rock back and forth, loving the feel of him deep inside her and the friction of his pelvic bone against her clit. Sloan reached behind her and untied her halter top. With fingertips scraping across her skin, he pulled down the bodice of the dress along with her bra.

As Sloan pumped up into her, his lips latched onto a plump nipple and she cried out in rapture. And for the first time since they had started making love the day before, Sloan kept his pace slow and steady, and guided Lexi as well at an easy pace. Truly making love to her tenderly and with care.

Overcome with emotion Sloan buried his face in her neck and Lexi wrapped her arms around his neck and head, her fingers clutching is hair, pulling him as close to her heart as she could get him. Her hips baring down on his and his thrusting up to meet hers. He groaned into her neck and her cries feathered out against his hair.

Stroking into her tight wet heat a few more times, Sloan felt her inner walls quiver with the first hints of her impending release. Holding her hips tighter, he thrust up harder going deeper till her quivers became full ripples surrounding his pulsing shaft. And they exploded with their mutual climaxes.

Their hips slowed, but continued to rotate into each other, slowly coming down from their sexual euphoria. Lexi loosened her hold on Sloan
’s neck and head and he looked up at her with sparkling blue-gray eyes.

“Tell me again.” Sloan commanded gently
.

“I love you, Sloan Stryker.”

“And I you, Alexis Bolden.”

Happy beyond measure, Sloan began kissing her all over her face. Lexi’s melodic giggles could be heard across the yard and river.

~~~

Eyes filled
with anger, hatred and unwelcomed arousal watched from a distance behind the cover of trees and surrounding foliage, as the couple made love passionately. He kept quiet because of the watchful eyes of the stupid guard dog.
Well she’s getting around, now isn’t she?

Eric had followed her on her date earlier that evening. Jealous of the good-looking guy that had taken her out in his fancy sports car. And then he’d followed her back, only to see her meet another lover in the backyard, who she fucked without a care in the world, for any and every one to see.

She never looked at me like that. Or fucked me like that. Fucking cunt! She’s mine goddammit and if I can’t have her…no one fucking can!

••••

Thank you for reading Scarred. I hope you enjoyed Lexi and Sloan’s story. If you did, please leave a review at the retailer where you purchased the novel. Trust me, I read them and they help keep me going. Your kind words continue to inspire me to write more.

Stay Tuned for the continuation of Lexi and Sloan’s story…