Ignite (Explosive) (22 page)

Alexa lets out a low laugh, and it’s all I can do to look away from her abdomen as it shakes. “I think you’ll have plenty of time to play Uncle Jace with Ava. She seems surely smitten, especially since she blew her daddy off for you.”

As if on cue, Ava screams from the pool, “Come on, Jace! Daddy’s gonna play sharks!”

I spy Jeremy floating through the water with his hand dangerously making a fin shape. I know I’m not going to get into the pool again, so I point out his location to Ava. She screams as he gets closer, moving inch by inch towards her tiny legs. He suddenly grabs her ankle and she shrieks as he leaps out of the water to grasp her.

I settle on a lounge chair as I watch the Banks family play around in the pool. Grabbing a beer out of the cooler, I take a long draw from it. Alexa walks over to me and steals the beer from my hands. She presses the bottle to her lips, turning it up, taking a healthy swig.

“Spending time with the Banks family can be exhausting. We’ve probably got sixty seconds to make a run for it,” she says, interrupting my thoughts.

I look out onto the water at Sierra and Jeremy in the water with Ava. As I watch them interact as a family, I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, and I find that I’m not exactly needing the escape that Alexa has planned.

She tugs on my arm, asking if I’m ready to go. I twist around on the chair and I’m face to face with her toned stomach. My quick movement causes her to lose her balance, so my hands are instantly on her wet skin as she falls into my lap.

“Nice moves, Lexi. I’m sure all you would’ve had to do was ask,” Sierra hollers.

Alexa’s face instantly goes red at her sister’s implications and she tries to move from my grip. I grasp her arms to hold her still, and I’m about to kiss her when I hear my name called.

“McAllister, Banks! Get out here and play a game of volleyball with us for old time’s sake,” Joey Thompson calls to us from the edge of the deck area.

Jeremy’s up and out the pool before he can even get the words out. He dries off and heads toward the sand while I stay put.

I’m about to decline when Joey begins to taunt me. “What’s the matter, McAllister? Afraid of being beaten by a guy with a metal leg?”

Shaking my head, I know that this is one challenge I have to accept. Alexa leans in and presses her forehead to mine. She gives me a quick kiss on the lips before hopping off of me. I get up and make my way towards the beach, but not before turning around to get one last glimpse of Alexa in her tiny black bikini. My eyes travel up her legs, taking in her toned, tan calf muscles that show signs of her daily running routine. I have to turn away as I take in the curve of her ass because the last thing I need is to embarrass myself in front on the guys. I catch her looking in my direction from the corner of my eye, so with one glance back, I throw her a smile before jogging towards the volleyball net to get this game over with.

An hour later I’m soaked with sweat from the three intense games we just played. I’m amazed at how well Joey can move around with his prosthetic leg. He was kicking Jeremy’s ass and giving me a run for my money. We make plans to meet up tonight at the reunion before Jeremy and I head back towards the pool. I spot Alexa packing up her things while Sierra holds a sleeping Ava in her arms.

She smiles and asks how the game was as I walk up to her.

“Joey and Mark beat us two out of three. I think Jeremy’s losing his athletic ability in his old age,” I say, earning a slap to the back of the head.

Sierra just shakes her head as she hands her daughter over to Jeremy. They say their goodbyes to us and head back up to their room. Alexa throws on a cover-up over her bikini, and I watch as she pulls the hair back out of her face.

She picks up her beach bag and turns to face me. “I think I’m going to head back up to the condo so I can wash this chlorine smell off of me,” she says.

Disappointment washes over me, but I keep my cool. “I know what you mean. I was sweating my ass off out there with the sun beating down on us while we were playing. I could definitely wash up, especially if you’re going to be my date tonight.”

She groans and throws her towel at me. “Seriously, Jace, it’s your reunion. You don’t need me there tagging along.”

“Nope, a bet’s a bet, and you lost. You’ll just have to accept your fate and face being forced to spend the entire evening by my side.”

“You know it’s not that. I just really have no desire to see Mallory again,” she informs me.

Shit. I completely forgot to tell her about my encounter last night after the mixer.

“Remember when I said last night that you wouldn’t have to worry about her?” Alexa nods and I continue. “I was getting ready to leave the mixer last night when Mallory came out of the club and headed towards my car.”

She snickers. “Trying to get another piece of the baseball star now that she could corner you alone?”

“Actually, no, she really wasn’t. Now let me finish. I was ready to tell her to take a hike when she said she just needed to talk to me for a minute. She wanted me to pass on an apology for the way she acted the other night. She said that she felt like shit for the things she said, and that it was undeserving. She wasn’t sure if she was going to see you again, so she asked if I’d relay the message,” I tell her, paraphrasing the conversation that we had.

Alexa rubs her forehead as she lets the words sink in. “Seriously?”

“Not making it up, babe. It shocked the hell out of me, but she seemed more than sincere.”

“Huh. Well, okay then.”

“That’s it? Nothing else to say?”

She looks at me and shrugs her shoulders. “Everyone says things they don’t mean. We’re all guilty of it. It’s pretty big of her to own up to it, even if it was through you.”

Thinking about what she said, I realize that she’s right. She never was one to hold a grudge. I’m unable to respond because she’s suddenly making plans for us to meet at her condo before heading over to the reunion together. I follow her to the elevator, and we confirm a meeting time. I drop her off on her floor, already anticipating seeing her again.

After a
long, hot shower and a very much needed nap, I’m sitting on the living room sofa, tapping my leg nervously. An hour-long conversation with Brady did little to calm my nerves about the upcoming night, especially since he told me multiple times that I better come home with at least one sexy story or he’s apparently defriending me.

Sierra walks out of the bedroom in a hot little red dress that cuts off just below her thighs. She whistles when she sees me. “Damn, Lex, Jace’s jaw is going to hit the floor when he gets a look at you.”

I hadn’t exactly packed for a night out, so I had to scramble through my luggage to find something suitable. I’m wearing a lace tube top dress in antique white that hits me at mid-thigh. A skinny brown leather belt accentuates the curves at my waist, and the padded cups built into the dress make it possible for me to go without a bra. I’m wearing my favorite dark brown cowboy boots, and I’ve styled my hair so that gentle curls are flowing down my back. My neck and wrists are bare, and the only jewelry I’m wearing are the gold hoops hanging from my ears. The makeup on my face is subtle, hints of golden browns highlight my eyes. I’ve been able to forego the usual mineral powder due to the sun-kissed glow that today’s beach session has brought over my face. For not expecting this, I can admit that I look pretty damn good. Sexy, but not sinfully so like Sierra. In fact, it’s probably fitting because I think I look more like the girl-next-door than the one you want to take behind the bleachers. This look for me was exactly how it was back in high school.

“Me? It’s a good thing Jeremy’s here or you’d have guys falling over themselves to get to you! How did you even get that thing on? It looks like you can’t breathe!”

She grins at me as Jeremy comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her. Kissing her neck, he answers me. “She sucked in her breath while she lay face first down on the bed so I could zip her up. It took a minute, but I made that zipper my bitch!” he says triumphantly.

Sierra laughs and nods, letting me know that he’s not joking. I’m chuckling right along with them, silently happy that I’ve never been a fan of tight dresses. To be honest, I’m a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of girl. I only wear dresses on special occasions, and I knew there was no way Sierra would let me out of the house tonight if I was wearing jeans.

“Damn, Lexi, you look like an innocent cowgirl. Jace is going to dig it!” Jeremy exclaims, bursting into an obnoxious rendition of Ginuwine’s Pony as he awkwardly gyrates the open air. Sierra loves it and backs up into it, and I’m thrilled when I hear the doorbell chime, signaling what I hope is Jace’s arrival.

Before I can move, Sierra’s making her way down the hall to answer the door. She opens it in a whirl and makes a big deal about who’s at the door.

“Well, hello, handsome! Come on in,” I hear her drawl to him in a faux Southern accent.

She saunters back down the hall with Jace trailing behind her. He comes into view and my breath catches as my eyes take in his appearance. He’s wearing dark jeans that are slightly faded around his thighs. His muscular chest is covered with a black button up, and the sleeves are rolled up to the middle of his forearms. I can see his tattoo peeking out from under his left sleeve. My eyes roam across his chest where the shirt seems to be straining before I glance up at his face. He’s apparently decided not to shave while he’s on leave, and I’m secretly hoping that I’ll be feeling that stubble all over my body later tonight. He spies me looking him over and shoots me a wink as he turns to greet Jeremy. Not a minute later do I find myself wrapped up in his arms, his lips pressed against my ear.

“You look gorgeous, babe. I always loved it when you wore a dress,” he says, kissing my temple.

“What do you mean? The only time you ever saw me in a dress was when I went to prom with Aaron junior year, and you barely spoke two words to me until the after party,” I say, reminding him of the night that he and Mallory finally broke up for good after she’d tried all night to make Jace ignore me.

He shoots a sexy smile my way as he clears his throat, ignoring my last comment. “Exactly, and I’d always wished you’d wear them more often. You were my girl in shorts and a t-shirt, lounging on the couch watching baseball with me. Seeing you now, dolled up, but not too much. I’m undone.”

I blush at his words, knowing that he’s right—at least about the dress part. This is probably one of the few times he’s seen me in a dress. He’s bending his head to lean in for another kiss when Sierra kills the moment.

“All right, love birds, that’s enough. You’ll have plenty of time to play find the lips later. We need to get this show on the road. I know I’m going to need booze to handle some of those people, so we need to get there early. I need at least two shots before the dinner even starts, so there’s no way I’m missing out on the cocktail hour. I’m taking full advantage of Ava being with her grandparents for the night,” she informs us.

Jeremy wraps her up in his arms, planting his hands firmly on her ass and squeezing. He waggles his eyebrows up at us. “I’m taking full advantage, too.”

This time Jace is the one to deliver the Banks-inducing groan. Sierra laughs and gives Jeremy a loud, smacking, obnoxious kiss that leaves a lipstick stain on his mouth. “I know I probably don’t have to say this, but just in case, don’t bother coming back here tonight, Lexi. I have big plans for this guy.”

Ignoring her, I grab the brown Coach mini bag I’d splurged on last Christmas because it goes perfectly with my favorite boots. Jace follows and the four of us make our way down to the parking lot, guessing on how some people will have turned out and wondering what teachers will be there.

When we reach the parking lot, he grabs ahold of my elbow and steers me towards his car. I’m thankful we’re driving separately from those two, because I have a feeling they’ll be there until they’re kicked out, seeing as they were two of the most sociable people in their class.

We settle into a comfortable conversation, and it’s not long before we’re pulling into the parking lot of the high school. The lot is full, and I’m suddenly nervous to see so many of these people after such a long time. Getting out of the car, Jace comes around to meet me on the passenger side.

“Ready for this?” he asks, as if he can sense my nerves.

“I think so. It’s just been so long since I’ve seen most of these people. I really don’t feel like spending the next few hours answering questions about what I’ve been up since we moved.”

It’s at that moment that I realize that I’m probably going to be dodging questions about Ty and my life for the entire evening. After having been so apprehensive about being in the same room with Mallory, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“Hey, what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Jace asks me.

I sigh before answering him. “Until now, I hadn’t even given any thought to anyone asking me about Ty or my personal life if they didn’t know about him. I’m not looking forward to repeatedly having to declare that, yes, Lexi Sullivan was a widow by age twenty-six.”

He places his hand on the back of my neck and draws me into his chest. He kisses me softly on the forehead before leaning away from me to look at my face.

“We can leave if you want. There’s no one in there that I care enough about to put you in that situation. I feel like an ass for not thinking about it sooner,” he tells me, making my heart smile knowing he’d skip out on his reunion just because I may be too chicken to face it.

I shake my head. “I love that you’d do that for me, but I’ll be fine. I’ve had plenty of practice dodging questions about it for the past year and a half, so I think I can handle it. Plus, they’ll probably be more interested in the fact that we’re here together anyways.”

“You’re probably right. Well, hey, why don’t we make a deal?”

I look at him suspiciously. “I don’t think so. My being here is a result of one of your deals.”

He grins and I can’t help but wish I was kissing the dimple that forms every time he smiles at me. This man could make even the iciest of queens melt with just one look.

“Hear me out. I think you’ll go for it.” He pauses, and I wait for him to continue. “Our conversations have gotten pretty heavy over the past two nights. What do you say that we forget all of that stuff for tonight? Set aside the last ten years and just be Jace and Alexa, the way we were that last time we were here together. We can have a good time, at least for this last night, and not worry about anything else but being here together.”

The thought of forgetting about everything else for the night is a very pleasant one, so I’m quick to accept.

“I think your deal sounds perfect. I’m all on board for just enjoying ourselves. But can I add to our deal?” I ask, and he nods. “Don’t mention that it’s our last night again. That’s something I don’t want to think about right now.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he agrees, holding his hand out as if to shake on it.

I place my hand in his, and in seconds I find myself pressed up against his chest, my head tilted back and Jace’s mouth on mine, his tongue invading my mouth with a heated urgency I wasn’t expecting. I’m wrapped up in his embrace as I return the kiss with as much fire as he’s giving me. Placing my hands around his neck, I try to get as close to him as possible. All of the sudden, he lifts me off the ground and I’m being set down on the hood of his car. He settles in between my legs and pulls me closer so that we’re touching, and I’m anticipating this contact as much as I did the day before on the kitchen counter. Before he can deepen the kiss any further, we’re interrupted by a surprised voice.

“Holy shit, is that…?”

“Dude, it is! It’s McAllister and Lexi Sullivan. About damn time, you two!”

He groans before giving me one last quick kiss on the lips. I glance around to see Andre Jensen and Carson Fredericks walking towards us. I try to scramble off of the car, but Jace does nothing to get us out of our compromising position.

Andre’s grinning widely at us as he approaches. He slaps Jace on the shoulder and leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek. As the shortstop who always started right next to Jace, we hung out a lot back in high school. Carson, the pitcher, was always the quiet one who hung back from the crowd. I notice he’s doing the same thing now, so I make it a point to greet him.

“I cannot believe you two are here together, man. We all had bets on how long it would take you two to get together, and I’m guessing now that Mallory’s the winner by default because she always said never.”

“This is the second time today I’ve heard about that stupid bet,” Jace groans and I look at him, puzzled. “Apparently y’all had nothing better to do back then.”

Andre just laughs before turning his attention towards me. “I’m glad you could make it down, Lexi. We’ll catch up inside, okay?” he says, giving me an intent look that lets me know we’ll be doing just that, although I’m not sure why he’s insistent on it.

With that, Andre and Carson head inside, and Jace turns back towards me with a sexy smile on his face.

“So what was that for? Do you enjoy mauling innocent women in the parking lot?” I tease.

He leans down and nibbles on my earlobe before whispering in my ear. “You’re forgetting yourself, babe. I was the first to ever know you as anything but innocent. I know just how dirty you can get.”

Trembling as his hot breath flows over my ear, I pull back so I can look him in the eyes. “And you’re forgetting yourself, Jace McAllister. I’ve come a long way from being that shaking teenage girl on the beach. You have no idea how dirty I like it.”

With that, I slide off of the hood and start making my way towards the gym where the reunion is being held. I’m only a few feet from the door when Jace’s arms are sliding around my waist. He hauls me back against him and I can feel the hardness pressing against his jeans.

Turning me around, he backs me up against the wall outside of the field house. He places his left hand on the side of my head and uses his right to lift my chin so that I’m looking at him.

“I should’ve spent years kissing you in this parking lot, so I have a lot of time to make up for. That’s what that was about. And the fact that you’re so damned irresistible in your little white dress, those cowgirl boots that are hiding the defined calf muscles I can’t wait to run my tongue over, and your neck. God, woman, don’t even get me started on the things that I want to do to your slender, bare neck,” he says, running his index finger from jaw down my neck.

I’m so turned on at his words that I’m half tempted to tell him to take me to the locker rooms to show me what he wishes he’d have done all those years ago. Now I know why the sexy vixens in romance novels love to go sans panties. What’s the point when the hot, swoon-worthy male says things that instantly dampen them? I may as well take them off and throw them in the trash, and I contemplate doing just that. Fortunately, the idea of him ripping them off of me later wins out, so I keep them on and clench my thighs together instead.