The day had been long and filled with unexpected events. Jayden felt like a zombie as he drove home at three in the morning. At the same time, however, he felt exhilarated. With the window down and the fresh breeze on his face, he felt at peace. It was therapeutic, to say the least.
Once home, he quietly sneaked through the front door and tiptoed up the stairs to his bedroom. There, he slid in and quietly made his way to the wardrobe in the dark. He felt like a damn thief in his own bedroom, but he couldn’t take the chance of waking Alex. She was probably tired after her shopping expedition with Kelly and Stephanie. Knowing them, they’d probably made Alex try on every piece of clothing they could find for her.
He shut the wardrobe door and switched on the light. Once he found his pajamas, he tiptoed to the bathroom to shower. Ten minutes later, he was back into the darkness of his bedroom. The idea of sleeping on that uncomfortable sofa yet again caused him to groan unpleasantly. Perhaps Alex wouldn’t mind him sleeping beside her on the bed. After all, she couldn’t very well protest when she was asleep.
Mind made up, he went to the large, luxurious bed and slid in between the sheets. He rested his head on the soft pillow and sighed with satisfaction. He spread his arms out, hoping to touch the sleeping Alex beside him. Only there was a cold, empty space. He frowned and spread his hands out farther into the forbidden side.
He bolted up and switched on the bedside lamp. The room flooded with dim, glowing light. The space on the bed beside him was empty. He glanced around the room and saw a lump of a person cocooned under a mountain of blankets on the sofa with only a mop of dark hair visible.
Good Lord! Alex had stolen his bed—twice! What did she want to prove? That she could comfortably sleep on the sofa and he couldn’t?
In a flash, he was standing by the sofa, gazing down at her. She looked to be in a deep sleep, though he couldn’t see much of her except for her hair. Damn it. He didn’t want to disturb her, but he knew she’d be sore in the morning.
He bent down and slowly pulled the blanket away. Before he realized what was happening, he swore under his breath—stunned at the sight he beheld before him.
Alex was in deep sleep all right. She looked so peaceful and—dear God—so damn enticing he couldn’t help but keep gawking at her. It was only a moment later that he realized she was not wearing her pajamas she usually wore. Tonight she wore a pink T-shirt and sexy grey short shorts that showed way too much of her slim, shapely legs.
Jay stroked his fingers through his thick hair. Was it just him and the fact that he was getting too tired, or did Alex’s skin look soft and smooth? And yes, he wanted to touch her, slowly running his fingers up her legs.
Perhaps he had been standing there ogling at her for too long because she suddenly shivered delicately, drawing herself in and turning over.
He bent low and scooped her into his arms. Her hair brushed against his nose as she turned her sleeping face toward his. The wonderful smell of spring danced around him. He brought his nose closer to her hair and inhaled deeply. He sighed, loving the scent as he gazed at her face. Suddenly, he wanted to kiss those luscious lips.
Jayden! the voice at the back of his head said. You’re tired and you’re hallucinating. Put Alex to bed and then go to sleep.
He nodded at that sound advice and turned on his heel. At that moment, Alexandra fluttered her eyes open.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice soft and husky, like those hot babes in James Bond movies who were ready to seduce Bond. Only he knew too well Alex was not trying to seduce him. Her next words confirmed that.
“Put me down.”
He stared at her. There was something different about Alex. He also noticed her lashes were long, thick, and dark.
“Well?” she queried. “Aren’t you going to put me down?”
He cleared his throat, still too stunned to register the fact that she had changed so dramatically.
“I’ll put you down when we reach the bed,” he said finally.
“My bed is that way,” she corrected tiredly, pointing to the sofa.
“Your bed is there,” he replied, nodding to the bed. “And don’t argue with me. Go back to sleep.”
“Bully!” she grumbled sleepily, her eyes closing and her fist weakly punching his chest.
“Ouch!” he chuckled, teasing her. Her punch felt like an itch to him. “Why did you do that?”
Alex opened her eyes. “‘Cause I want to hurt you,” she retorted.
“Why do you want to hurt me?”
Alex wanted to say, Because you lied to me. Instead, she said, “Put me down, Jayden.”
“All right.” He gently put her down on the bed. Alex immediately rolled off and marched back toward the sofa. Jayden swiftly caught her arm and swung her around.
“What?”
Jayden realized her thick, bedroom-tangled hair looked different. The color had changed. It was ash brown with a hint of blond, and under the dim light, it was glossy. Her whole complexion looked healthy, fresh, and milky.
Alex was beautiful, and he felt his gut churning with acid and his body shuddering with desire. She looked too damn sexy and tempting. She was about to give him a heart attack. No, maybe he had too much wine back at the party, and now he couldn’t seem to concentrate or see things clearly. Yes, he was drunk. His brain must be playing tricks on him.
No kidding, Jayden, the voice at the back of his head said. You hardly had more than two glasses of wine.
“Well?” Alex prompted, frowning at him, folding her arms across her chest.
Jayden shook his head to clear his thought. “The bed is this way.”
“I’m too tired to argue or fight with you now. We’ll do it in the morning,” she announced.
“It is morning, and we’re not fighting,” Jay said, moving closer.
“Yes, we kind of are,” she replied, unfolding her arms impatiently, which drew Jayden’s attention to her chest. He realized she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath that thin T-shirt that said clearly “I’m No Angel” in big, bold letters. How ironic because looking at her now, she damn well looked like an angel—a very sexy one at that.
“In what way?” he asked with his head cocked to one side, studying her.
Alex pulled her face. She wondered what they were doing, talking about nonsense when she knew they both were tired and in need of a lot of shuteye. She thought she should get away from him; otherwise, she’d probably start shouting at him about his lies.
She shrugged her shoulders and turned on her heel.
Jayden didn’t know what came over him. He should have just left it at that and let her return to her uncomfortable sofa and him back to his inviting soft bed. He, however, acted before he could think. He swiftly and smoothly got off the bed and pulled Alex into his arms.
Alex blinked, her sleepiness gone. She was now aware of his strength and warmth against her body, excitement bubbling up in the pit of her stomach.
Jay ran his fingers through her hair, mesmerized by her newfound beauty. Yes, her hair was soft and silky under his touch.
“Your pupils are dilated, Jay,” she said, grinning, knowing he liked her new look.
“What?”
“Your pupils are dilated,” she repeated.
“Yeah?”
“Yes. We humans are like that. When we see what we like, our pupils dilate.” She grinned cheekily.
“Right,” he responded, still at a loss as to what she was talking about. To be frank, he didn’t care. He just liked listening to the sound of her sweet, husky voice, inhaling her scent, and gazing at her pretty face he had the urge to kiss so badly.
Alex cocked her head to one side. “Do you like what you see, Jay?”
That brought him up short. He stopped stroking her hair and frowned. Is she implying something?
“May I ask you a question?” She started.
“What?”
“Does touching a woman make you feel disgusted? I mean, like, really gross you out
?”
Jayden blinked. “What?”
“I mean you’re gay, right? Doesn’t the thought of touching a woman gross you out?” she asked, her brows rising.
That brought him up short. He had forgotten the fact that he was supposed to be gay. And how the heck was he supposed to know whether gay men feel disgusted at the thought of touching women?
“Well,” he began, searching his tired brain for an answer. “I don’t know about gay men—I mean other gay men—but I surely don’t feel grossed out at the thought of touching women.”
“So, um, touching me right now doesn’t gross you out?”
Jayden wanted to laugh, only he knew he shouldn’t because she’d be suspicious.
Heck no! You feel just right in my arms, my sweet, he wanted to say to her. But of course he didn’t.
“No, not at all.”
“Really?” Alex prompted. “Right.” She nodded and took a step back, almost reluctantly. “Right, then. Good night,” she said and turned on her heel.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” He chuckled.
“What?” she said over her shoulder.
“The bed.” He nodded that way.
She raised her brows, challenging him. “And you’ll sleep on the sofa?”
“Nope. I’ll sleep on the bed with you.”
“No,” she replied simply.
“Yes,” he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him.
She laughed. “Jayden, I don’t think so. It’s not safe.”
“What’s not safe?”
“I told you before. I used to sleep on the sofa so I’m comfortable with that.”
“No. You’ll sleep on the bed with me, missy.”
“It’s not safe,” she said, frowning at him now, seriously pulling herself away from his tight grasp.
“Don’t be silly. I’m gay. What could happen?” he said.
A lot could happen, Jayden, she wanted to shout at him. I know you’re not gay.
Instead, she said, “Right. Nothing could happen of course. But still—”
Jayden bent down, scooped her up, and marched to the bed. Before Alex knew it, she was on the bed and Jayden was on top of her. She couldn’t move away.
He chuckled. “If you run away, Alex, I’m going to kiss you.”
She laughed, her soft voice echoing in the room.
He smiled, loving her beautiful laugh.
“You? Kissing me?” She scoffed, her brows rising in doubt. Nada! There was no way Jayden was going to kiss her. It was simply a threat because if he were going to kiss her, he’d blow his entire masquerade he had so cleverly built.
“Really?” she prompted, her head cocked to one side as she studied him. “I don’t believe you. You’re gay, mister, so behave like it.” Then she shoved his rock-hard chest so he’d move away. He obediently shifted aside, freeing her.
Alex sat up and gave him the look that said, “I told you so.”
“Wuss,” she said, grinning, feeling quite satisfied she had won the argument. She landed her feet on the carpet and stood up, intending to head back to the sofa. In a flash, Jayden caught her wrist, pulled her back on the bed, and rolled himself on top of her.
Alex had no idea what just happened. She could see Jayden on top of her, grinning—the type she had never seen on his face before. She was suddenly alarmed. She felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
Jayden brought his hands up and cupped her face. Slowly, he lowered his head to hers. Once his face was only inches from hers, their noses nearly touching, and his hot breath against hers, he said softly, “I’m no wuss, Alex.” Then he fastened his firm lips against her soft ones.
His kiss was not hard and demanding, but soft and gentle. He deepened the kiss as his fingers dug deep into her hair and his tongue stroked along her half-open, quivering lips.
Alex was shocked into stillness. Her body was ablaze with small flickers of fireworks she didn’t know existed. When Jayden slid his tongue into her mouth, her breath caught at the back of her throat. She felt as though she were floating on air, and the fireworks within her became more powerful—exploding into a myriad of colors.
She didn’t realize she was responding to his kiss as her hands come up to wrap around his neck. When she finally realized she was kissing him back, Jayden suddenly stopped and pulled back, totally breathless.
Alex didn’t know that she too was breathless and that her heart was pumping like mad, as though she had run a marathon.
With his face still practically touching hers, she could see his blue eyes that were—oh God—blazing with passion. She didn't understand the meaning of fire in the eyes until that moment. Yes, she could see fire in Jayden’s eyes—an intense, powerful blue flame that was alive. In reaction to that realization, her heart did a somersault, and her stomach knotted in dread and excitement.
She covered her hands over her mouth because she couldn’t believe what had just happened. Then, because she couldn’t stand him staring at her so intensely like that, like he didn’t regret what he had just done one bit and that he’d be glad to do it again, she quickly turned over and gave her back to him.
Jayden moved over so his lips were near her ear, his hand touching her bare arm. She could feel the heat there, burning on her skin and sending her head reeling.
“Don’t you dare sneak away, or I’ll do it again,” he whispered.
Alex shivered, both at the thought of that possibility and at the fact that she could feel his warm breath against her skin, her senses tingling.
“I won’t run,” she whispered, her voice quivering. Then she shoved him back. Jayden obliged her need for space. “Stupid man,” she muttered under her breath and quickly pulled the blanket up and over her head, hiding from him.
Jayden lay back on his side. Then he switched off the light, grinning from ear to ear. Damn, he had just kissed Alex, and he didn’t care one bit if that behavior was not that of a gay man and that she might be suspicious. He couldn’t wait to do it again, quite soon.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 17