Ignite (Explosive) (19 page)

I really need to get laid,
I thought to myself, because there was no other explanation for how I was reacting to him.

A sexy whisper filled my ear. “You know, that can be arranged, but I’m usually not that easy.”

My hand instantly flung over my mouth as the realization that I’d said those words out loud flooded my brain. I was mortified, and I knew I had to get out of there. With only 1:30 before halftime, I figured it was a good excuse to stretch my legs. Getting up, I told Kara I was going to grab a drink. She waved me off and barely looked away from her boy toy to acknowledge me. Nice. What a wingman.

I was halfway down the stairs when a firm hand gripped my wrist, spinning me around until my face was pressing into a very tight, very muscular chest. Breathing in, I smelled a crisp, sandalwood scent that was mixing with the sweat on his skin. It was intoxicating, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t bring myself to move away from him.

“Don’t run away, Lexi girl. I promise I won’t bite. At least not until you ask,” he said as he let his lips graze over my earlobe.

For the second time I shivered in the presence of this practical stranger, and again I wondered why I was so affected by him. We’d only spoken a dozen or so sentences between us and I knew nothing about the guy except for his name and his seat-stealing abilities. Pulling out of his grasp, I sprinted down the steps as best as I could, trying to navigate around the fans who were trying to beat the halftime rush to the bathroom.

I made it through the tunnel and into the walkway where the smells of the stadium food made my stomach growl. I decided to hide out in line, ready to satisfy myself with a signature cheese coney. Before I knew what was happening, I was pulled out of line and backed against a wall. As soon as I caught my breath, I glared up at my assailant.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I fumed, trying to fight the arousal that was threatening to surface.

Placing both hands on the wall behind me, he brought his face within inches from mine. He was at least a foot taller than me, so I had to strain my neck to look up at him. His eyes were clouded and his lips parted when he saw me watching him. I didn’t know why, but I was burning with anticipation for him to brand me with his mouth.

“Lexi girl, I honestly have no idea. All I know is that I’ve never been as attracted to someone as I am to you. I want to know you. Watching you during the game… There’s a sadness that often comes across your face that I want to kiss away. I want to know what makes you feel that way. I want to know how to make you happy, how to take that look of sadness off your face. It’s crazy, but there’s something about your steel grey eyes, your high cheek bones, and the small cleft in your chin. I want to touch and kiss every single spot as you tremble beneath me,” he confessed, his blue eyes gazing into mine.

My body was instant Jell-O at his words, and I didn’t know how to respond. I tried to move away from him, but I tripped over a crack in the floor, causing Ty to move quickly to grab me before I fell flat on my face. He lifted me up into his arms as he chuckled.

He brushed a quick kiss over my cheek before setting me upright on my feet. Taking us to the line, he bought us both a couple of coneys, and I wanted to tell him that my appetite no longer needed a hotdog—at least not the cheese coney variety. I let him lead me back to our seats in a quiet numbness, wondering how in the hell I let these feelings ignite within me. It’d been so long, I thought I was immune to it. But in one evening, Ty, the seat-stealing jerk, made me feel things that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I paused
the story of how Ty and I met, wanting to make sure that Jace is still okay with the direction with which I’m going. I know it’d hurt to hear about all the women he’s dated, so I feel selfish telling him about meeting and falling in love with my husband.

He looks up at me as if he’s waiting for me to continue. “You good?” I ask, just trying to make sure.

“I’m fine, babe. I want to know about your past,” he responds, melting my heart just a little bit.

I continue the story, starting from the point of Ty leading me away from the concessions area.

We made our way back to our seats, where a couple of fans cheered when seeing a Steelers guy and a Bengals girl holding hands. Ty flashed his bright smile at the crowd as he led me to our row, not missing a beat. They loved it, the forbidden romance between two rival teams.

I pulled my hand out of his grasp and glared at him. He looked at me with a sexy grin and a stray hair falling on his brow.

“You know your team sucks,” I informed him, breaking the silence.

Looking at the scoreboard, Ty laughed as he pointed to it. I glanced up and noticed that we were down 7-0, so I figured I should keep my trash-talking to myself.

“Think your boys can come from behind and beat us?” he asked as the second half kicked off.

I turned towards the field before answering him. “As much as it pains me to say this, I’m not holding my breath. Our O-line’s been doing an awful job protecting the QB, and your linemen are no joke. But we are only down by one touchdown, so anything is possible.”

I could feel his stare burning into the side of my face, so I looked at him. His face was a confliction between what I thought was both admiration and desire. I could feel my cheeks redden as his eyes fell to my lips.

“I think that may be the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. Say it again,” he requested in a husky voice as he leaned in closer, wishing for me to repeat myself.

“Anything is possible?” I taunted as I hoped he’d close the distance between us and just kiss me already.

His brow quirked up as a smile slowly spread across his face. “Oh, Lexi girl, I have a feeling that truer words have never been spoken.”

I’m pretty
much glossing over any of the actual conversation as I continue to tell Jace about that football game. I mean, he knows we obviously hit it off. After all, we ended up married and together for seven years. I quickly wrap up the story, telling him about how I tried to play hard to get, but it was no use. I was so smitten by the end of the football game that all it took was a wink and a kiss on the cheek before Ty was adding my number into his phone.

As we chatted throughout the rest of the game, which the Bengals did end up losing, I learned that he was a senior at UC. He ended up calling me later that night, and we talked on the phone for three hours until my eyes wouldn’t stay open anymore. The next day he came to my apartment, and that was it. We didn’t spend another day without seeing each other for the next ten months, so when he proposed on the night of his college graduation, there was no question as to what my answer would be. It was a whirlwind. It happened so quickly, and I would never change a single second of it.

I finish recounting the memory and turn around to look at Jace. He’s moved to a taller chair by the glass table, and he’s watching me. I can’t read his expression, so I move closer to him to make sure that somehow this story didn’t upset him. I mean, he asked, but I can’t imagine he really wanted to know how I met my future, now deceased, husband.

When I get close enough, Jace pulls me in between his legs. He brushes my hair off of my shoulders and then lets his hands run down my arms before he takes hold of my hands. He smiles at me and I’m instantly relieved that I haven’t scared him off. I know this night went in a completely different direction than he was planning.

“Thanks for telling me about that. It might sound weird, but I’m glad you had that. Am I jealous as hell? Yes, I can admit it. I wish that’d been me, but since it couldn’t have been, I’m glad you found someone who made you so happy,” he says, brushing my collarbone with his thumb.

“Don’t thank me. I thought this would be awkward and uncomfortable, but you made it so easy on me, and I really appreciate that. The only person I’ve really been able to talk to about any of this stuff is Brady, and he doesn’t even know the half of it. So it really means a lot that you’re so willing to let me talk about so openly. Most people tiptoe around it, so it’s kind of refreshing just to be able to talk.”

He’s about to respond when the sliding glass door on the balcony opens. Jeremy sticks his head out, letting us know that he and Sierra are back for the night. I glance at my watch and realize that it’s already almost midnight.

We both linger on the balcony for a few moments, not sure exactly how this evening is going to pan out now that we’ve been interrupted.

“Want to come up to my place? We can just watch movies like we’d planned. No big deal. Just hang out,” he says with desperation as if he thinks I’m going to bail.

I tap my finger on my chin as if contemplating my prospects. Sleeping in Jace’s arms or waking up to a four-year-old demanding Frosted Flakes at 6:00 a.m. Hmm. Tough choice.

“I think I’ll resist the four-year-old charm and sleep in peace,” I say, knowing full well that his arms around me is what will bring me comfort.

I can’t complain at the closeness as he draws me to his body. He presses his lips to my forehead before saying, “I was hoping you’d say that.”

We head inside and he pauses in the living room to talk with Jeremy as I head to my room to grab a few toiletry items to take with me. Not ten seconds later, I spot Sierra walking into the room and I watch her close the door quietly behind her. She sits down on the bed, not saying a word, although I’m sure it’s killing her to keep quiet. I decide to make her fight for it, so I continue to gather my things without speaking or looking at her. She sighs, and I can hardly maintain my composure, having to bite the insides of my cheeks in order not to laugh.

Finally, after about sixty seconds of silence, I decide to put her out of her misery and sit down on the bed.

“All right, nosy, I know you have questions, so you have two minutes before Jace starts to wonder what’s taking me so long,” I tell her.

She takes a deep breath before bombarding me with questions. “How’s it going? Has it been awkward? Isn’t it crazy how hot he still is? Is he good in bed? I mean, wait, have you guys slept together? I know you slept together, but did you
sleep
sleep together? Why the hell did you tell him about blue clit? What’s going to happen after you leave here? Wha—” I cut her off before she can ask me anything else.

“Umm, let me see if I can get this straight. Things are going surprisingly well. Actually, surprising is the wrong word. Umm, refreshing. It’s refreshing. It was awkward for maybe the first couple of minutes, but it’s been anything but that since. It’s really comfortable.”

Sierra interrupts me before I can continue. “I can see that. Once you got over the initial weirdness, it makes sense that you’d fall back into the same level of comfort you always had.”

I nod in agreement. “As for how he is in bed, I couldn’t tell you. I mean, he’s amazing to cuddle with, but beyond that I have no idea.” I pause as I remember all the things Jace promised he was going to do to me.

I can’t help the smile the spreads on my face, and I know the instant Sierra catches it.

“You lying hoebag!” Sierra exclaims, slapping my arm. “You totally hooked up with him!”

Shushing her, I kill her excitement. “Sorry to disappoint, but we definitely did not hook up. Made out like teenagers? Guilty. But nothing more than that. And he asked about Ty, so tonight’s conversations were too heavy for anything else to happen.”

She gives me a sympathetic look, knowing that talks about my late husband are few and far between these days. We talk for a few more minutes before I tell her that I need to leave.

“Oh, hey, Lexi, we’re going golfing with Jeremy’s parents tomorrow before the big reunion event. Can you keep Ava for the day?”

I agree and then make my way down the hall to find Jace and Jeremy in an intense conversation about the Reds versus the Braves. I smile at the fact that Sierra and I were able to convert Jeremy, and I decide to make it my mission to bring Jace over to the good side.

“All right, boys. As much as I’d love to stand here and help Jeremy’s argument, because let’s face it, we all know he’s right, I’ve been promised a movie. And if I’m going to be able to keep my eyes open throughout it, we need to get out of here.”

We say our goodbyes and make our way upstairs. Sadly, this time there’s no elevator action, but like I told Sierra, I didn’t think things were going to go that route tonight. I laid out too much for either of us to move things along, so the earlier promise of tonight will have to be put off. And it’ll have to be tomorrow, because that’s our last night. I shake the thought from my head and try to push down the feeling of disappointment of having to wait another night to get close to him.

Closing the door behind him, he grabs my hand and drags me to the living room. He pushes me towards the couch before he turns to place a movie in the Blu-ray player. Asking if I want anything to drink, he goes to the kitchen, coming back with two whiskeys on the rocks. I cock my eyebrow at him, questioning his choice, especially after his decree from last night.

He laughs as he sits next to me, leaning forward to grab the remote off of the coffee table. “Babe, with all of the talk tonight, I think we both know nothing’s going to happen.”

“I was thinking the same thing, much to Sierra’s disappointment. And to Brady’s, I’m sure.” He gives me a confused look. “Oh, didn’t I tell you? Brady’s a big fan of yours. Told me to pack lube and all,” I deadpan as soon as he takes a drink from his glass.

Whiskey spews out of his mouth, landing in a wet mess on his jeans. “Excuse me?” he asks as he chokes on his drink.

“You’d have to know Brady. He’s very wise. Before I left he sat me down and told me to give things a chance with us, you know, if we connected again. And then he warned me on all the disasters of a dry vagina. I’m pretty sure my face looked a little like yours does now.”

“I…I don’t even know what the hell to say right now. But if he’s a fan of mine, I’ll take his word for it.”

We both laugh as we settle into the couch. Jace changes the input so that the DVD menu will pop up, and I’m suddenly curious as to what he’s picked out for us to watch. The menu comes up and I see a guy in pigtails holding a monkey, the mom from Everybody Loves Raymond playing video games, an old tribal man laughing maniacally, the Partridge Family mom talking about handjobs, and a really skinny guy who looks like he’s a Neo wannabe, all playing under the title of Grandma’s Boy.
What the hell did he rent?

Jace hits the play button and settles in next to me. He’s put about a foot of distance between us, and it makes me smile knowing he’s trying to give me space.

“I hope you’re ready to laugh your ass off. This is one of the greatest comedic films of all time,” he says, grinning at me.

“Umm, if the plethora of strange men and former television moms is any indication, I’ll more than likely be wondering about your obviously sick sense of humor.”

He turns towards me with a cocky grin. “Oh, Alexa. I have not forgotten the types of movies you used to make me watch. If you enjoyed the Castle of Anthrax in Monty Python and the Holy Grail over and over again, I have a feeling you’ll be cracking up in no time.”

I shake my head, letting him know that there’s no way I can see myself laughing at this debauchery.

He taps his chin as if he’s considering how to respond to me. His eyes dart to me as I see the idea formulate in his head.

Oh shit.

He leans in devilishly close, and I feel my thighs clench as his scent washes over me. I find myself licking my lower lip before I can stop it. Letting out a low laugh, he shakes his head at me.

“Not what I was thinking, babe. Well, at least not right at that moment. It seems like we’re at an impasse. I’m convinced that you’ll love it, and you seem adamant that you won’t, even though you know nothing about it. So let’s make a bet.”

This could get interesting. I’m more than interested in hearing his terms, so I find myself agreeing.

“So what do I get if I win?” I ask, wondering how I can make this work out in my favor.

“That’s up to you, but if I win, you have to go with me to the last event of the reunion tomorrow night,” he says, surprising me.

“Jace, the last thing that I want to do is be in a room with Mallory and Ryan again. You saw how well that went. You go and I’ll just hang out with Ava until you get back. Then we can spend the rest of the night together before we both have to leave for the airport on Sunday morning,” I insist, because there is no way I’m putting myself in a position to be around her again after what happened last night.