Sexing Up the Spy (7 page)
“I better go.” Jake turned and left the bathroom.
Lexi’s skin felt raw as the cold water beat onto her. She grabbed a towel to stop Jake but by the time she reached the bedroom he was gone and the loss was more than she expected.
“It is no wonder you need my help.” Natasha’s words lingered in Killer’s mind. It was true. He lost his edge and Natasha had died for it.
Killer never expected to fall in love. It hit him suddenly, and now she was gone. He would never forget her brown hair and twinkling green eyes. They were etched in his memory.
Whoever said it is better to have loved and lost deserved a slow painful death. The only thing that remained was death. His mission was officially complete even if he was not. He needed to move on to next mission. It was time to close this case.
Killer opened the envelope: MISSION HEIRESS.
The End
Jake stared at the page. He admitted
Killer Sex
was his best work. It was a shame that much of himself was poured into Killer and the book. Jake doubted he could repeat the results again, not without Lexi. Every time he thought of Lexi, his heart tore open anew. Four weeks passed since he last saw her—dripping wet and angry as hell. The image of her fiery emerald eyes and her glistening skin made him hard. He shook his head.
Jake worked through all his feelings of inadequacy, frustration, anger and love. He remembered writing Killer’s thoughts on paper, not realizing until later that they were his own. It didn’t seem possible to fall in love in such a short period of time but he had. Jake loved Lexi. It was a painful realization that he meant nothing to her.
Jake walked around the corner to mail his manuscript off to his agent, Mark. He already sent an e-mail of the novel but Mark liked both copies. After his errand at the post office, he stopped in at The Starving Artist Café. He lounged in the corner watching the door. Maybe she would come in for a cup of coffee and he could say…something.
Jake felt like a voyeur and coward. He watched as couples embraced or held hands and longed for the courage to call Lexi up and say the right words. Jake missed her. He spent two days with her and now he treasured those moments. Jake killed Natasha to give his emotions an outlet. He needed to take a break from writing. Jake wasn’t ready for another female character in Killer’s life or his.
Jake like a ghost walked the streets until he arrived home. He checked his mailbox and walked the steps up to his apartment. Jake threw the mail on the table but one envelope caught his eye. He grabbed it and tore it open:
Dear Mr. Stone,
Your test results for HIV are negative
Sincerely,
Search for a Cure
Jake was relieved, not as much for the results but now he acquired an excuse to call Lexi.
He dialed her number. One, two, three rings, on the fourth ring her machine picked up. He left a message.
* * * *
“Hi. This is Jake. I just called to tell you that my…um…well my test results came back. They were…uh…negative. Let me know how yours went.”
Lexi listened to the machine click.
“Are you going to call him back?”
“No, Buck. I’m not.” Lexi continued to pout.
“Do you want me to call him back?” Buck made no attempt to move.
“No. Why would I want you to do that?”
“Cuz you love him, Lexi-girl.”
“How could you know that?” She was distressed with the fact that Buck spoke the truth.
“You may not remember much from your ma’s barbeque since you were knee-deep in Mojito’s but I do.”
Lexi’s stare was blank as she tried to remember that day. She dreaded asking, “What did I do?”
“I believe it started with how he didn’t show up and progressed to the best sex you ever had, but you weren’t sure if that was because the condom broke.”
“Oh dear.” Her face flushed with mortification and resentment at herself. Sadness crept in as well. She hadn’t been pregnant either. Lexi still couldn’t fathom how she could miss a child that never was
“Needless to say the Colonel was mighty fidgety but your ma calmed him down sayin’ he was a nice boy and seemed honest. Why she even met him at the grocery store therefore why wouldn’t he be?”
Lexi’s mouth was dry.
“And then you spouted how you were an expert because of that girl-porn you write, and then the Colonel reassured Caroline.”
“Oh. No.” Lexi sank lower into the chair.
“I admit, I hoped to be the best sex-ever, but I’ll surrender the title for true love’s sake.”
“Go on.” Lexi waved for him to continue speaking.
“Anyway, your ma asked what happened. The minute you confessed the harsh words, you said to that surfer everyone in that room knew you loved the fool. Why do you think your folks haven’t called?”
“I thought you were my watch-dog,” she threw back.
“No, but you deserve a friend. I’m gonna miss being your boy-toy when I’m in town Lexi.”
“That doesn’t have to stop.” Lexi said with bravado she didn’t feel.
“Yes, it does. Somehow, you kids will patch this up. If you don’t do it soon, I may have to play cupid.”
Lexi smirked at the mental image of Buck in a diaper with a mini bow and arrow; she rolled on the floor in peels of laughter.
“What?”
“Nothing. I needed a moment of silliness.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah or I was gonna—” Lexi hiccupped and fell into tears. She yielded to the compulsive sobs that took her.
“Come here now.” Buck crossed the room, picked Lexi up and held her against his chest. “It can all be fixed.”
“It can’t, Buck,” she sniffled. “The worst thing is I made these stupid rules!”
“Did you now?” He rubbed her back as if she was a child.
Lexi bit back a sob. “Even if I told him I loved him, Jake would run for the hills. That was the third rule.”
“Lexi, rules are made to be broken.”
“Well we have broken some other ones. At least I have.” She rubbed her sore eyes.
BEEP
“Damn, that boy’s persistent isn’t he?”
“I guess so.” Although, this was the first time she had seen it.
They sat in silence listening to the machine pick up.
“Lexi, this is Mark.”
Lexi ran to the phone. “Yeah, Mark.” She managed to sound composed.
“You did a hell of a job with my boy Jake.”
“Pardon?” Lexi listened in bafflement.
“I just got the electronic copy of his latest book
Killer Sex
. You even made the dedication.”
“I did?”
“Yeah, here let me find it. It says:
To Lexi Andrews whose words not only inspired love in Killer, but me as well.
”
Lexi dropped the phone.
* * * *
Jake waited an hour for Lexi to call back. When she didn’t, he took a walk. He ended up at The Starving Artist again. Jake saw a book-signing going on and rushed in. He made his way through the gaggle of women to find an unknown author.
“Sorry, thought you were someone I knew,” he muttered before making his way over to a table. Jake sat facing away from the door. He couldn’t keep coming here and wishing to see her. It was hopeless.
“I love you.” A familiar whisper echoed in his ear.
“Lexi?” He turned around.
“Yeah.” She looked guilty. “I’m sorry Jake. I was a complete bitch.”
“What did you say?” He hadn’t heard her right.
“I said I was a complete bi—”
“No, before that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Before that.”
Lexi’s eyes squinted as if she were trying to remember, “I love you.”
“Do you?” he asked without hesitation
“Yes. But it took my mother’s Mojito’s to get it out of me.”
Jake shook his head. “Am I supposed to know what that means?”
“You would if I hadn’t scared you off.”
“Lexi, you are not making sense.”
“Sorry.” She drew back and stared at her toes.
“I love you too.” He spoke with all sincerity.
“I know. Mark called me.”
“Oh.” That took the steam out of him.
“It’s nice to hear you say it though.”
“Lexi, are you sure? I know what you think of me.”
“What are you talking about?” Lexi leaned back and placed her hand on her hips.
“That I’m a hack of a writer.”
“I do not think that.” She shook her head and lowered herself onto his lap, caressing his jaw, “I said that when I was very angry about your obligation comment.”
“I’m sorry. I was stunned by what happened.”
“I’m not pregnant.” She blurted out.
“How are you doing?” He looked at her with concern.
“Okay. I didn’t expect to be disappointed.” Her voice cracked. She rubbed her eyes.
Jake wrapped his arms around her and after a few moments, he spoke in a quiet voice, “And Test-wise?”
“Good. I’m still waiting on some results from my doctor but I’ve only been with Buck besides you and that was a few years back so I expect they’ll be okay.”
“So where do we go from here?” He asked.
“Your place?” Lexi whispered against his skin.
“I love that idea.” Jake caressed her backside.
“I do have some good ones.”
“You sure do Lexi, you sure do.”
Buck watched his friend be carried away by the man she loved. He trailed the couple out and tipped his hat to the waitress as he passed.
The End
Tina Holland was born in
Frankfurt
,
Germany
to military parents, and is a self-proclaimed military brat. She has been writing since childhood and continues to be prolific at least in starting manuscripts.
Tina began her career by attending a Romantic Times Convention in 2003, and writing a short story for Kathryn Falk’s Bordella series.
Tina continues to write as her schedule allows. She is a member of Romance Writers of America Online. When Tina is not writing, she can be found enjoying her hobby farm in
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