Avoiding Responsibility (8 page)

"Well that was interesting," Lexi murmured to Chyna.

"I don't want to talk about it," Chyna said requesting another glass of wine from a passing server.

"Is that really smart?" Lexi asked concerned.

"I don't give a fuck. It obviously doesn't matter that I'm here. He didn't even glance at me the whole time. So why did he have to put me through this?"

"I don't know if you noticed, but he didn't really look at anyone. Half the time he was talking directly to her so let's try not to get riled up shall we? You know how you are when you're drunk and angry," Lexi reminded her hoping that maybe she would calm down just a little.

She had no idea what she would do if the situation was reversed. Her parents had stayed together through everything so the thought of a step parent was utterly terrifying. Lexi supposed Chyna felt the same way. Even though her parents had split up due to infidelity, she still didn't want some other person coming in and replacing her mother.

"Fine," Chyna said crossing her arms and waiting for their food to arrive. She tapped her toe anxiously under the table, but a smile broke out across her face as she glanced across the room. "Hey stop checking your phone," Chyna commanded. Lexi's head snapped up. "Look straight ahead."

Lexi mouth curved up in a smile as Ramsey strode confidently across the ballroom floor. Eyes followed him as he made his way towards Lexi, but he didn't seem to notice any of them as his green eyes found her brown ones in the crowd. She licked her lips and butterflies took over her stomach. She hadn't seen him in a month, and damn did he look good. She had forgotten how strong and classically handsome his features were. The Armani suit that adorned his body had obviously been tailored specially for him, and Lexi could surely admit that it was worth every penny. His body looked incredible.

When he finally reached her, he bent down and lightly kissed the top of her head. A wave of peppermint filled her nostrils, and she shivered at the memories that scent filled her mind with. "Sorry I'm late," he said not taking his eyes from her face. He yanked the chair out from the table and sat down hardly acknowledging the rest of the room. His hand reflexively came out and fingered a strand of her loose, even curls. "It's shorter."

Lexi bit her lip to keep from pushing a chunk of it behind her ear. "Yeah. I donated it to cancer."

"I'm not sure cancer would appreciate that," he murmured smirking affectionately. She loved the way his right cheek dimpled in a little bit more than the other side. She wasn't sure why she had never noticed that. It had to be one of the most adorable features.

"Oh I mean Locks of Love," she stammered out. She wasn't certain why she was acting so nervous. She had never been nervous around him before. In fact, she typically was pretty forward and rude in his presence. She didn't give into his easy charm and he had seemed to like her more for that. Perhaps, since it had been under different circumstances and her mind had been so focused elsewhere, she hadn't even realized what she felt for Ramsey. She still wasn't sure and that made her more nervous than she would have been.

"Well either way, you look gorgeous," he said reaching forward and capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

Lexi was surprised by his boldness. After turning him down and then not seeing or speaking to him in a month, he was rather forward with his affections. "Thank you," she muttered pulling back her voice breathy.

"Am I playing the boyfriend role well enough?" he asked still staring longingly into her eyes.

Her heart stopped and then sank. He was just acting. Of course that would make sense. She had put him up to this role. She had set up the boundaries. Though she didn't know where that last kiss fell in with everything. But since he had shown up late, he felt he had to put on an appearance of devotion. "Uh…yeah," she said turning from his powerful gaze. "Where were you?"

"I told you my flight was delayed."

"That was hours ago. Why didn't you call or text?" Lexi asked hating that she sounded like the overbearing girlfriend, but she really had been worried. At least if they were acting, everyone would believe her role.

Ramsey dug into his pocket and pulled out a black, touch screen phone. "The damn thing died mid-flight and we were circling JFK for about an hour. I had no way to get a hold of you. I'm sorry," he said reaching out and grabbing her hand under the table. "I got here as soon as I could."

"I'm glad you made it safe," she said forgiving his lateness easily. She was still too concerned about his acting abilities to care.

Suddenly Ramsey seemed to notice that everyone had been watching them and turned to face the table. "How's it going?" he asked smiling like the confident heir to an empire that he was. "Pleasure to meet you all. I'm Ramsey Bridges."

Everyone shared their name with him, but one particular couple seemed fascinated by his name and began speaking in hushed whispers. Lexi could only imagine what they were saying. She really didn't want to think about it.

"Hey man, I'm Adam," he said shaking hands with Ramsey across the table.

"Nice to meet you," Ramsey reciprocated squeezing just a bit harder. "How do you know this bunch?"

"I'm here with Chyna," he said placing his arm across the back of Chyna's chair.

"Really?" Ramsey asked arching an eyebrow in Chyna's direction. "Interesting." Adam looked at Ramsey as if he wanted to confront him about why it was so interesting but he managed to keep his mouth shut long enough that the food arrived.

Chyna dug into the salad that had been placed before her. She glanced around the table, noticed everyone else's food, and nearly dropped her fork. "What are you eating?"

Lexi glanced down at her plate which was filled with a zesty, grilled, lemon-pepper chicken breast with garlic asparagus and a tiny helping of mashed potatoes. "Chicken?" she muttered confused by the question.

"Right. It looks incredible. Why the fuck do I just have a salad?" she asked seeing that everyone else around them had either chicken or steak placed before them.

"Uh…it was probably just a mistake," Lexi reasoned. This didn't look good.

"A mistake?" Chyna asked looking around at the rest of the ballroom. "Is
anyone
else eating a salad?"

Lexi bit her lip as her eyes shifted around the rest of the room and realized, in fact, that no one else had a salad placed before them. "Uh…"

"Is he trying to say I'm fat?" Chyna squeaked out in horror.

"He's trying to get a rise out of you," Ramsey informed her. "If you give into him, then he's won."

"And how would you know?" Chyna spat out. She was too angry to care who she was speaking to and in what tone of voice.

"Let's just say I have a lot of experience dealing with father figures who want to control everything and everyone. The first tactic employed is degradation," he said taking a sip of the water in front of him. "If he can make you feel like you are less than you are, he thinks he can have more power, more control over you."

Chyna huffed not wanting to give into his obviously good reason. Lexi could tell she was fuming, but she was trying to hold it in. Ramsey's advice was sound, and she wanted to take it, but that didn't make it any easier. Chyna murmured something incoherent into her salad, but finished the rest of the meal without complaint.

Dinner ended without any additional hitches in the plan, and as the plates were cleared away, music filled the ballroom and dancing ensued. Chyna looked as if she might combust with the anticipation of meeting her soon-to-be step-mom. A line had formed before them as hundreds of introductions were made.

"Perhaps we should wait," Ramsey suggested standing, and holding his hand out. "May I have this dance?" he requested formally.

Lexi giggled placing her hand in his and letting him escort her onto the floor. Chyna and Adam followed them and they twirled around in circles to the jazz music playing through the speakers. Soon enough they were surrounded by other couples happily dancing to the music.

Lexi rested her head against Ramsey chest letting her eyes close as they swayed back and forth as a slow song came on. "I really am sorry that I was late," he whispered stroking her lower back. "I wouldn't have missed this for anything."

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault," she reassured him breathing in his minty freshness.

Ramsey's hand came up and tilted her chin up to look into his eyes. "Thank you."

Lexi raised her eyebrows in confusion. "For what?"

"Letting me be here," he said capturing another gentle kiss from her.

Lexi had to do everything in her strength not to pull his face back down towards her and cover his mouth with her own. Her body was being very needy in that moment. All she wanted to do was ditch this place and go back to her apartment.

But she knew that she couldn't do that…even if she wanted to. She was still recovering from everything that had happened in her life over the past month. Jumping into bed with another man, no matter how attractive Ramsey was, would not be in her best interest. Right now she just wanted to forget everything and get lost in his gorgeous body, but she knew that she would regret it. She would regret wasting something that was already going well, with someone that she was beginning to care about.

The last thing she wanted was for Ramsey to become a one night stand. She had been through her fair share of those and it wasn't pretty. After that kind of intimate behavior with hardly any emotional attachment, they never reconnected. She just felt used and in return as if she had used them as well. She wanted to fulfill her physical needs, but not like that…not anymore…not after what had happened with Jack.

She knew Ramsey could be so much more than that if she let herself feel again. She just had to give herself enough time. The boundaries they set up were in place for a reason. So that at a time when she had been sane and not overcome with physical desire, he knew that she couldn't just sleep with him. Of course, she hadn't been able to tell him why, but he knew she had been hurt. Hopefully she could trust him enough not to take advantage of the situation.

"I have to go meet her," Chyna said breaking up their intense moment and sidling up next to Lexi. Adam was at her side and seemed to look between Ramsey and Lexi with idle curiosity.

"We'll go with you," Lexi said using this as an excuse to step out of the physical tension that had formed between her and Ramsey. Ramsey licked his lips before finally breaking his gaze from Lexi's face and following the rest of them towards Chyna's father.

"Chyna," Richard acknowledged his daughter. His eyes traveled from her to the rest of the group, resting on Ramsey for a second longer than the rest, and then returned to Chyna.

"Dad," she muttered. "You remember my friend Alexa?"

"Of course," he said smiling as if he hadn't ogled her the day before like a prized stallion and insulted her without another word.

"This is my boyfriend," Chyna almost choked on the word, "Adam Preston and Alexa's boyfriend Ramsey Bridges."

Richard sidestepped Adam completely and turned to face Ramsey. "Bridges you say?"

"Yes sir," Ramsey told him shaking his hand firmly.

"I thought I recognized you. Great man your father. You're the spitting image of him too. Great things come from your family," he told him. Chyna could see the look in her father's eye. He didn't even have to say anything to her, but she could tell he was wondering why she hadn't come with a man like Ramsey Bridges.

"Thank you sir," he said through gritted teeth. Lexi would have laughed in any other scenario knowing how Ramsey acted towards his father and how he felt about the business.

"Next time you see him, let him know Richard Van der Wal says hello."

"Of course sir. I'll make sure to do that," Ramsey said stepping back to open the conversation up to the rest of the group.

Richard smiled obviously pleased with at least some of the choices of the group. Lexi guessed that he had been expecting some nobodies to give him more leverage to be disappointed with Chyna. Adam didn't exactly carry the prestige that the Bridges name carried but he was a nice guy. Lexi didn't actually know what he did or if he had any money. It was a strange thing to be with people Chyna associated and not know whether or not they were wealthy. Not that Lexi cared one way or the other.

"Well I'm sure you're all very anxious to meet my darling," Richard said turning around to smile at his fiancé. "Victoria this is my daughter Chyna."

The two came face to face, dark meeting light for the first time. Chyna swallowed a lump in her throat. She needed to be friendly with this woman or her life would fall apart. She pushed her pride out the window and came forward and hugged the woman. They were almost exactly the same height. "So nice to meet you," Chyna whispered as she pulled back slightly.

Victoria smiled slyly. "You too. I'm sure. You look different than Richard described you though dear," she said eyeing Chyna up and down. "Wasn't your mother a model?" she asked arching an eyebrow up.

Chyna's mouth dropped open slightly at the insult. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. Her head moved from side to side to glance at the other people surrounding her just to make sure that she hadn't imagined the comment. She took a deep breath and thought about what Ramsey said earlier before answering. "She
is
a model, actually."

"Really? At her age?" Victoria asked astounded.

Chyna forced a fake smile. "She's actually in Milan right now prepping for a show."

"Well isn't that wonderful. Does she have the same problem with alcohol giving her dark circles under her eyes?"

"You don't have circles under your eyes," Chyna said in confusion.

"No, but you do," Victoria said smiling sweetly. She turned to face Richard who was talking to a French couple about their American tour. "Richard dear," Victoria called not giving Chyna enough time to respond.

"Yes my love?" he asked excusing himself from the couple and coming to snuggle up against Victoria's neck.

"Can we go dance? I've been standing here too long," she pouted.